New Mexico

Breaking down the New Mexico primary election results, impact

Published

2 years ago

June 5, 2024

Press Room

Breaking down the New Mexico primary election results, impact

There were some close races and landslide victories in the New Mexico primary election.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — There were some close races and landslide victories in the New Mexico primary election.

In the race for Bernalillo County district attorney, Sam Bregman holds a strong 56%-44% lead against fellow Democrat Damon Martinez. The results are still unofficial until they’re certified. There is no Republican candidate, so Bregman is poised to remain the district attorney after November.

Two state senators who have served for nearly a decade lost their primary – Bill O’Neill and Daniel Ivey-Soto. Both of them have been state senators since 2014 and held key committee positions.

Debbie O’Malley defeated O’Neill in Senate District 13 – she has held positions as an Albuquerque city councilor and as a county commissioner. Her background is in affordable housing development and she says that will be a big priority for her.

“A lot of policy is made up at the state level, you know, issues around budget, I think that’s really important,” O’Malley said. “I’ve worked with our state representatives, and I know what works and what doesn’t. So, you know, I’m looking forward to getting resources out to our district, an area that really needs a lot.”

Senate District 13 was another race that had no Republican challenger, so O’Malley will be headed up to the Roundhouse.

Heather Berghmans defeated Ivey-Soto in Senate District 15. She is not new to the Roundhouse, since she has worked as a policy analyst and finance consultant for many Democratic legislators since 2018. In the primary, she got 80% of the vote.

“We have been knocking on doors since April, and I’ve been talking to voters for months. From what I heard at the doors they were eager for someone new to vote for and so I wasn’t entirely surprised,” Berghmans said. “Maybe by the margin, of course, but the district has been telling me they are eager for my candidacy.”

Berghmans will face off against Republican nominee Craig Degenhardt in November.

There were also a handful of other races that did not pan out in the incumbent’s favor. Three Democratic representatives lost their primary races Tuesday night, including Willie Madrid, Harry Garcia, and Ambrose Castellano.

This will have an impact on policy. All three Democrats voted against the proposed Paid Family and Medical Leave bill that would have required employees and employers to pay into a state fund that would allow workers to take paid time off when a child is born, for a family emergency, or another kind of medical crisis. That bill failed on the House floor by only two votes.

For more election results, click here.

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New Mexico

Doctor shortage, affordable housing, local news targeted in evolving tax package

Published

8 hours ago

February 16, 2026

Press Room

Doctor shortage, affordable housing, local news targeted in evolving tax package

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New Mexico

Strong winds, fire weather watch issued for El Paso, Southern New Mexico

Published

20 hours ago

February 16, 2026

Press Room

Strong winds, fire weather watch issued for El Paso, Southern New Mexico

Windy weather is heading to the El Paso region.

Strong winds will gradually arrive in El Paso on Tuesday, Feb. 17, with gusts of up to 44 miles per hour by noon, according to the National Weather Service. El Paso, as well as much of Southern New Mexico, will be under a fire weather watch as winds combine with very dry air, creating dangerous conditions.

Outdoor burning is discouraged and any fires that do start will spread rapidly, the National Weather Service warned.

Parts of New Mexico are also under a high wind warning, including Cloudcroft and Ruidoso, which are expected to see gusts of up to 70 miles per hour.

Winds are expected to taper down by Thursday, Feb. 19, but could make a comeback on Friday, Feb. 20, possibly triggering another fire weather watch, the National Weather Service said.

What are El Paso’s windiest months?

March, April and May are typically the windiest months of the year. This also coincides with our driest months, which leads to all the dust in El Paso, according to the National Weather Service. As the monsoon season begins in June, winds die down.

Tips for driving in the wind

Here are some tips for driving in windy weather, courtesy of the National Weather Service.

Maintain a safe distance from high profile vehicles
Keep a firm grip on the wheel with both hands
Keep a lookout for falling debris, fallen power lines and trees
Use caution on overpasses and bridges

Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.

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New Mexico

New Mexico mother accused of drowning newborn in portable toilet after giving birth

Published

1 day ago

February 15, 2026

Press Room

New Mexico mother accused of drowning newborn in portable toilet after giving birth

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A New Mexico woman is facing charges after she allegedly gave birth in a portable toilet and then killed the newborn by drowning them in the holding tank.

Sonia Cristal Jimenez, 38, arrived at Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces at around 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 7, when staff said she appeared as if she had just given birth, but she had no baby with her, Las Cruces Police said in a press release.

Hospital staff then notified police about the unusual encounter.

Jimenez’s boyfriend said they had been at Burn Lake, which is located about six miles away, and that his girlfriend had used a portable toilet.

NEWBORN FOUND WITH UMBILICAL CORD ATTACHED IN PENN STATION, POLICE HUNT FOR PARENTS

Sonia Cristal Jimenez, 38, is accused of drowning her newborn in a portable toilet. (Las Cruces Police)

Officers rushed to the deserted area and discovered the infant girl dead in the portable toilet’s holding tank.

Investigators suspect that Jimenez gave birth, cut the umbilical cord and left the child in the holding tank, where she drowned.

The woman’s boyfriend said they had been at Burn Lake and that his girlfriend had used a portable toilet. (Las Cruces Police)

An autopsy showed the baby inhaled and swallowed the sanitation liquid used in the portable toilet, according to investigators. The blue chemical was found in the baby’s trachea, lungs and stomach, which investigators said confirms that she breathed and swallowed the liquid while she was still alive.

Jimenez was arrested on Wednesday and charged with intentional child abuse resulting in death, a first-degree felony. She was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center and is being held without bond.

AUTOPSY RESULTS DEEPEN MYSTERY OF INFANT ALLEGEDLY FOUND DEAD IN UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY ATHLETE’S CLOSET

Police found the infant girl dead in the portable toilet’s holding tank. (iStock)

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Police said they do not expect to charge her boyfriend, as they do not believe he was aware she had given birth.

“This is one of the most heartbreaking and disturbing cases I have encountered in my career,” Las Cruces police Chief Jeremy Story told the Santa Fe New Mexican.

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