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Voters In Southwest New Mexico Cast Ballots In Primary Election

On Tuesday, New Mexicans in major parties submitted their votes in the state’s primary election. 

Many voters decided to mail in absentee ballots. Voters and candidates voiced concerns prior to the primary election of the possible spread of COVID-19.

The Doña Ana County Clerk’s office said in a press release that over 13,000 people submitted absentee ballots by the end of Tuesday’s voting. The Clerk’s office said that 3,000 absentee ballots were still left to be counted. The office said counting was scheduled to start Wednesday morning on remaining ballots. 

Unofficial election results from the New Mexico Secretary of State’s office show that in the Republican U.S. Senate race, Mark Ronchetti wins with over 56 percent of the vote over Elisa Maria Martinez and Gavin Clarkson.

Former Alamogordo State Representative Yvette Herrell has won the Republican Primary for New Mexico’s Second Congressional District with more than 44 percent of the vote over candidates Claire Chase (31.6%) and Chris Mathys (23.6%).

In the District 28 Democratic State Senate Race, Siah Correa Hemhill defeated appointed State Senator Gabriel Ramos with 61 percent of the vote. 

In the District 31 Democratic State Senate Race, Incumbent Senator Joseph Cervantes appears to be on his way to victory with more than 57 percent of the vote over his challengers Melissa Ontiveros and Art Terrazas. Cervantes chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In the District 33 Republican State Senate Race, William Burt wins the primary race with over 56 percent over Christopher Hensley. 

Two powerful state senators from southwest New Mexico are in tight primary races.

In the District 35 Democratic State Senate Primary where 7 precincts are still left to report, Neomi Martinez-Parra leads the race with more than 54 percent of the vote over incumbent State Senator John Arthur Smith (45.4 percent). Smith chairs the Senate Finance Committee. He has served in the Senate since 1989.

In the Republican State Senate Primary for District 36, unofficial results show Kimberly Skaggs leading with over 61 percent of the vote over Roger Baker II (38 percent).

In the District 38 Democratic State Senate Race, Carrie Hamblen leads over incumbent State Senator Mary Kay Papen with more than 48 percent of the vote. Papen serves as Senate Pro Tempore. Tracy Perry who dropped out of the race in May received 7 percent of the vote. Not all precincts have fully reported as of Wednesday morning.

In the Democratic State Representative race for District 34 in southern Doña Ana County, incumbent State Representative Ray Lara has over 61 percent of the vote over former State Representative Bill Gomez. Lara defeated Gomez in a very close primary race in 2018.  

In Doña Ana County Races, Amanda López Askin has won the Democratic Primary for County Clerk over Andrew Ostic with more than 83 percent of the vote.

For the Democratic race for Doña Ana County Treasurer, Eric Rodriguez leads with over 56 percent of the vote over Gina Montoya Ortega (43.8 percent).

In the District 2 Democratic Doña Ana County Commission race, Diana Murillo-Trujillo leads with over 56 percent of the vote over Ramon Gonzalez (44 percent).

There are two tight primary races for the District 4 Doña Ana County Commission seat. In the Democratic race, Debra Hathaway has an 11-vote lead over Irma Susana Chaparro. Both candidates have over 42 percent of the vote. Sam Bradley got over 15 percent of the vote in the race. In the Republican Doña Ana County District 4 Commission race, Stacie Michelle Durham leads with 45 percent of the vote to Richard Reynaud’s 44 percent. Jesus Oropeza received 10 percent of the vote.

In Grant County, Patrick Cohn, Jr. won the Democratic primary race for Treasurer with over 54 percent of the vote over Gilbert Guadiana (45 percent).

Harry Browne has won the Democratic Primary for the District 5 Grant County Commission with 59 percent of the vote over Simon Ortiz (40 percent).

In the Otero County Republican County Commission District 3 race, Vickie Marquardt has won with 63 percent of the vote.

In Luna County, Kristie Hobbs has won the Democratic primary for County Treasurer.

Also, in Luna County the Republican primary race for District 3, John Sweetser wins over Christie Harvey with 57 percent of the vote.

In Hidalgo County, Alyssa Esquivel has won the Democratic primary race for County Clerk over Roland ‘Skeater’ Lassiter III. Esquivel received over 73 percent of the vote.