New Mexico, like the rest of the nation, woke up Wednesday and Thursday, and then again on Friday, without knowing who the country’s next president will be. All of the state’s 112 legislative seats—42 in the Senate and 70 in the House of Representatives—were up for election. Democrats maintained control over both chambers, netting one seat in the state Senate but losing two in the House. Five appellate judgeships were up for election and one for retention, with Democrats winning all of them. In addition, all five statewide ballot measures passed with the three bond questions passing handily.
The real story of the election, however, happened during the primary when several moderate Democrats were beaten by more progressive challengers, moving the party decisively to the left. A progressive bloc in the New Mexico Legislature will almost certainly mean that issues ranging from gun control to abortion to marijuana legalization to minimum wage will be front and center during the 2021 session.
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