New Mexico held its general election on November 2, 2010, deciding 70 legislative seats and 6 statewide offices led by the governorship. No chamber changed party control. The Senate was not up for regular election this cycle.
Highlights
- Republicans won the open governorship and ended the Democratic trifecta, while Democrats kept both chambers of the legislature. That split decided redistricting: in 2011 Governor Martinez vetoed the legislature's maps for the House and Senate, and the state courts drew the new districts.
- Susana Martinez (R) beat Lt. Gov. Diane Denish (D) by about 7 points, becoming the nation's first female Hispanic governor. Gov. Bill Richardson was term-limited, and his popularity had sunk amid high unemployment and federal pay-to-play investigations; Martinez ran as if the election was a referendum on him. Her running mate, John A. Sanchez (R), won the lieutenant governorship on the joint ticket.
- In the House, Republicans won all 8 seats that changed hands, leaving Democrats a smaller majority: 37-33, down from 45-25. Seven Democratic House incumbents lost; the three closest defeats:Beyond the flips, 2 incumbents held on by fewer than 200 votes: Bill B. O'Neill (D) in House District 15 and Jeannette O. Wallace (R) in House District 43.
- Dianna Duran (R) unseated Secretary of State Mary Herrera (D) by about 15 points; Herrera's last year in office was plagued by controversy. Attorney General Gary King (D), Auditor Hector Balderas (D), and Treasurer James B. Lewis (D) all won re-election.
- Voters approved 6 of the 9 measures on the ballot. Bond Question D failed by fewer than 1,200 votes, while Amendment 2 and Amendment 5 lost by wide margins.
Legislature
- House (70 seats): 45 D, 25 R before the election, 37 D, 33 R after; control stayed with Democrats.
- Senate (42 seats): 27 D, 15 R before the election, 27 D, 15 R after; control stayed with Democrats.
Statewide races
Legislative races
Ballot measures