POLITICS
Matthews loses tight state House race
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Incumbent New Mexico House representatives survived challenges from within their party in Tuesday's primary 鈥� except for one.
Rep. Marian Matthews, D-sa国际传媒官网网页入口, lost to Abby Foster in the primary for the Northeast Heights seat. Matthews is a moderate Democrat and Foster criticized Matthews鈥� recent votes against paid family medical leave bills and for supporting bipartisan bills in the Legislature.
Matthews in a recent Journal op-ed wrote she was being targeted for her support of House Bill 99 鈥� which made changes to medical malpractice laws in the state. She said that trial attorneys who were against those reforms supported Foster in her campaign.
Results showed the Foster won by 42 votes in a race that drew 4,178 voters in the Northeast Heights, according to the Secretary of State's Office.
The Republican primary in the District 27 race was also tight, with Jahnelle Garcia winning with 52% of the votes over Robert Godshall.
A Republican primary in southeast New Mexico is possibly heading to a recount, according to the Secretary of State's Office. Leanne Gandy received 999 votes and Dan Lewis received 989 votes.
The seat was previously held by Rep. Jimmy Mason, R-Artesia, who did not seek reelection.
Rep. Martha Garcia, D-Pine Hill, survived a crowded field of four candidates in the District 6 House race, according to unofficial results. She won 44% of the votes.
Garcia, a former Cibola County commissioner, was appointed to the seat in February 2025 to replace Rep. Eliseo Alcon after he died.
In District 6, which represents parts of San Juan County, Rep. Joseph Hernandez, D-Shiprock, received 52% of the votes over challenger Christina Aspaas.
In other House races around the state, former state Rep. Debbie Rodella was lost the Democratic primary for House District 41 against Yolanda Jaramillo, 55% to 45% Tuesday, according to the Secretary of State's Office.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this article misspelled Leanne Gandy's name.
