Congress

Democrat Melanie Stansbury Wins New Mexico's Vacant U.S. House Seat

Stansbury will fill the seat previously held by now-Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.

Democrat Melanie Stansbury Wins New Mexico's Vacant U.S. House Seat
Adolphe Pierre-Louis / The Albuquerque Journal via AP
SMS

New Mexico has filled its vacant House seat previously held by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.

Democrat Melanie Stansbury won the special election.

Stansbury beat out three other candidates handily, getting about 60% of the votes.

Stansbury's victory gives Democrats a boost to keep the majority in Congress ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.

"It's become clear that this race has really been a barometer for what may happen in the 2022 cycle," Stansbury said. "The importance not only of winning, but the margins and how it all played out, I couldn't be prouder of the work that we accomplished."

Democrats now hold a 220 to 210 majority in the House.