2012 New Mexico Senate election explained

2012 New Mexico Senate election should not be confused with 2012 United States Senate election in New Mexico.

Election Name:2012 New Mexico Senate election
Country:New Mexico
Type:legislative
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2008 New Mexico Senate election
Previous Year:2008
Next Election:2016 New Mexico Senate election
Next Year:2016
Seats For Election:All 42 seats in the New Mexico Senate
Majority Seats:22
Election Date:November 6, 2012
Leader1:Timothy Jennings
(lost re-election)
Party1:Democratic
Colour1:3333ff
Leaders Seat1:32nd - Roswell
Last Election1:27
Seats Before1:28
Seats1:25
Seat Change1:3
Popular Vote1:380,509
Percentage1:57.13%
Leader2:Stuart Ingle
Party2:Republican
Colour2:ff3333
Leaders Seat2:27th - Portales
Last Election2:15
Seats Before2:14
Seats2:17
Seat Change2:3
Popular Vote2:273,676
Percentage2:41.09%
President pro tempore
Before Election:Timothy Jennings
Before Party:Democratic
After Election:Mary Kay Papen
After Party:Democratic

The 2012 New Mexico Senate election took place as part of the biennial United States elections. New Mexico voters elected state senators in all 42 of the state senate's districts. State senators serve four-year terms in the New Mexico Senate. The election coincided with elections for other offices, including for U.S. President, U.S. Senate, U.S House, and state house.[1]

A primary election on June 5, 2012, determined which candidates appeared on the November 6th general election ballot.

Results summary

DistrictIncumbentPartyElected senatorParty
1RepRep
2RepRep
3DemDem
4DemDem
5DemDem
6DemDem
7RepRep
8DemDem
9DemDem
10RepRep
11DemDem
12DemDem
Dem
13DemDem
14New SeatDem
15DemDem
16DemDem
17DemDem
18RepRep
19RepRep
20RepRep
21DemRep
22DemDem
23RepRep
24DemDem
25DemDem
26DemDem
27RepRep
28sortnameHowie MoralesDemsortnameHowie MoralesDem
29DemDem
30DemDem
31DemDem
32DemRep
33RepRep
Rep
34RepRep
35DemDem
36DemRep
37DemDem
38DemDem
39DemDem
40New SeatRep
41RepRep
42RepRep
Party Candi-
dates
Votes Seats
No. % No. +/– !%
Democratic 34 380,509 57.13% 25 3 59.52%
27 273,676 41.09% 17 3 40.48%
2 11,899 1.79% 0 0.00%
Total 63 666,084 100% 42 100%

Retiring incumbents

Incumbents defeated in the primary election

Incumbents defeated in the general election

Detailed results

align=center District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27 • District 28 • District 29 • District 30 • District 31 • District 32 • District 33 • District 34 • District 35 • District 36 • District 37 • District 38 • District 39 • District 40 • District 41 • District 42
Source for primary election results:[2] Source for general election results:[3]

District 1

Incumbent Republican William Sharer has represented the 1st district since 2001.

District 2

Incumbent Republican Steven Neville has represented the 2nd district since 2005.

District 3

Incumbent Democrat John Pinto has represented the 3rd district since 1977.

Democratic primary
  • General election
  • District 4

    Incumbent Democrat George Muñoz has represented the 4th district since 2009.

    Democratic primary
  • General election
  • District 5

    Incumbent Democrat Richard Martinez has represented the 5th district since 2001.

    Democratic primary
  • General election
  • District 6

    Incumbent Democrat Carlos Cisneros has represented the 6th district since 1985.

    District 7

    Incumbent Republican Clinton Harden has represented the 7th district since 2003. Harden didn't seek re-election and fellow Republican Pat Woods won the open seat.

    Republican primary
  • General election
  • District 8

    Incumbent Democrat Pete Campos has represented the 8th district since 1991. State Representative Thomas Garcis unsuccessfully challenged Campos for the Democratic nomination.

    Democratic primary
  • General election
  • District 9

    Incumbent Democrat John Sapien has represented the 9th district since 2009.

    Democratic primary
  • General election
  • District 10

    Incumbent Republican John Ryan has represented the 10th district since 2005.

    District 11

    Incumbent Democrat Linda Lopez has represented the 11th district since 1997.

    District 12

    The new 12th district includes the homes of incumbent Democrats Jerry Ortiz y Pino, who has represented the 12th district since 2005, and Eric Griego, who has represented the 14th district since 2009. Griego retired to run for Congres while Ortiz y Pino was re-elected here.

    District 13

    Incumbent Democrat Dede Feldman has represented the 13th district since 1997. Feldman didn't seek re-election and fellow Democrat Bill O'Neill won the open seat.

    Democratic primary
  • General election
  • District 14

    The new 14th district is based in southwestern Bernalillo County and includes much of South Valley. The district has no incumbent. Democrat Michael Padilla won the open seat.[4]

    Democratic primary
  • General election
  • District 15

    Incumbent Democrat Tim Eichenberg has represented the 15th district since 2009. Eichenberg didn't seek re-election and fellow Democrat Daniel Ivey-Soto won the open seat.

    District 16

    Incumbent Democrat Cisco McSorley has represented the 16th district since 1997.

    District 17

    Incumbent Democrat Tim Keller has represented the 17th district since 2009.

    District 18

    Incumbent Republican Mark Boitano has represented the 18th district since 1997. Boitano didn't seek re-election and fellow Republican Lisa Torraco won the open seat.

    Republican primary
  • General election
  • District 19

    Incumbent Republican Sue Wilson Beffort has represented the 19th district since 1997.

    District 20

    Incumbent Republican William Payne has represented the 20th district since 1997.

    District 21

    Incumbent Democrat Lisa Curtis has represented the 21st district since her appointment in 2012 following the resignation of Republican Kent Cravens. Curtis lost re-election to Republican Mark Moores.

    Republican primary
  • General election
  • District 22

    Incumbent Democrat Lynda Lovejoy has represented the 22nd district since 2007. Lovejoy lost re-nomination to fellow Democrat Benny Shendo, who was unopposed in the general election.

    Democratic primary
  • General election
  • District 23

    Incumbent Republican Sander Rue has represented the 23rd district since 2009.

    District 24

    Incumbent Democrat Nancy Rodriguez has represented the 24th district since 1997.

    District 25

    Incumbent Democrat Peter Wirth has represented the 25th district since 2009.

    District 26

    Incumbent Democrat Bernadette Sanchez has represented the 26th district since 2001. Sanchez didn't seek re-election and fellow Democrat Jacob Candelaria won the open seat.

    Democratic primary
  • General election
  • District 27

    Incumbent Republican Minority Leader Stuart Ingle has represented the 27th district since 1985.

    District 28

    Incumbent Democrat Howie Morales has represented the 28th district since 2009.

    District 29

    Incumbent Democrat and Majority Leader Michael Sanchez has represented the 29th district since 1993.

    District 30

    Incumbent Democrat David Ulibarri has represented the 30th district since 2006. Ulibari lost re-nomination to fellow Democrat Clemente Sanchez, who went on to win the general election.

    Democratic primary
  • General election
  • District 31

    Incumbent Democrat Cynthia Nava has represented the 31st district since 1993. Nava didn't seek re-election and fellow Democrat Joe Cervantes won the open seat.

    Democratic primary
  • General election
  • District 32

    Incumbent Democrat and President Pro Tempore Timothy Jennings has represented the 32nd district since 1979. Jennings lost re-election to Republican Cliff Pirtle.

    Republican primary
  • General election
  • District 33

    The new 33rd district includes the homes of incumbent Republicans Rod Adair, who has represented the 33rd district since 1997, and William Burt, who has represented the 40th district since 2011. Adair didn't seek re-election and Burt was re-elected here.

    District 34

    Incumbent Republican Vernon Asbill has represented the 34th district since 2005. Asbill didn't seek re-election and fellow Republican Ron Griggs won the open seat.

    Republican primary
  • General election
  • District 35

    Incumbent Democrat John Arthur Smith has represented the 35th district since 1989.

    Democratic primary
  • General election
  • District 36

    Incumbent Democrat Mary Jane Garcia has represented the 36th district since 1989. Garcia lost re-election to Republican Lee Cotter.

    Democratic primary
  • General election
  • District 37

    Incumbent Democrat Stephen Fischmann has represented the 37th district since 2009. Fischmann didn't seek re-election and fellow Democrat William Soules won the open seat.

    District 38

    Incumbent Democrat Mary Kay Papen has represented the 38th district since 2001.

    District 39

    Incumbent Democrat Phil Griego has represented the 39th district since 1997.

    Democratic primary
  • General election
  • District 40

    The new 40th district is based in southwestern Sandoval County and includes much of Rio Rancho. The district has no incumbent. Republican Craig Brandt won the open seat.

    Republican primary
  • General election
  • District 41

    Incumbent Republican Carroll Leavell has represented the 41st district since 1997.

    District 42

    Incumbent Republican Gay Kernan has represented the th district since 2002.

    See also

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: New Mexico State Senate elections, 2012. Ballotpedia. July 1, 2023.
    2. Web site: Canvass of Returns of Primary Election Held on June 5, 2012 – State of New Mexico. New Mexico Secretary of State. July 1, 2023.
    3. Web site: Canvass of Returns of General Election Held on November 6, 2012 – State of New Mexico. New Mexico Secretary of State. July 1, 2023.
    4. Web site: New Mexico - All About Redistricting. Justin Levitt. Loyola Law School. July 1, 2023.