On Monday, Alexis Martinez Johnson, a former congressional and Santa Fe mayoral candidate and environmental engineer announced her second bid for Congress in New Mexico’s Third District.
According to an announcement, Martinez Johnson said, “After careful consideration and conversations with New Mexicans in the new [Congressional] District 3, I am proud to announce that I’m declaring my candidacy” against incumbent first-term Democrat Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez.
On Martinez Johnson’s website it reads, “It is imperative that we have individuals who represent the consitutents of New Mexico’s District 3 by taking into account all voices. With experience as an environmental engineering professional, I bring the skill coming up with solutions.”
She added, “We as, New Mexicans, are united in the common goals of making sure that we have opportunity and that we live in a safe and healthy environment.”
At the current moment, Leger Fernandez has $266,577.14 cash on hand, according to reports from the Federal Election Commission.
She is expected to be heavily aided by pro-abortion group EMILY’s List, which runs high-dollar independent expenditures for pro-abortion female candidates. Martinez Johnson will have to prove the viability of her candidacy by outraising Leger Fernandez and by earning support from independent groups that could help her take back the Third District.
The Third District currently leans D+5 down from a D+14 district after Democrats gerrymandered the Second District from Republican to now favor Democrats. The dilution of the First and Third District to swing the Second now gives Republicans an opportunity to pick up the Third District — and 2022 is the time to do it as Leger Fernandez was first elected in 2020. In 2020, Martinez Johnson lost to Leger Fernandez in 2020 by 17.4%.