November 8, 2018

Torres Small is apparent winner in 2nd District

Source: Albuquerque Journal

LAS CRUCES – Democrat Xochitl Torres Small is the new projected winner over Republican Yvette Herrell in the hotly contested race for southern New Mexico’s congressional seat following a hand count of 8,000 absentee ballots in Doña Ana County on Wednesday. She is the first woman and Latina to represent the state’s second Congressional District. Torres Small’s apparent victory means Democrats make up New Mexico’s entire congressional delegation – both senators and all three members of the U.S. House.

The absentee ballots were not included in the election night returns that showed Herrell with a lead of 1,972 votes over Torres Small out of the 186,000 votes counted at that point. At least one national news network and the Journal along with local pollsters called the race at that time, not aware that the absentee ballots had not been counted.

Results of the hard-fought race were then hanging in the balance until the envelopes containing all the absentee ballots cast in Doña Ana County could be opened and counted.

The unofficial totals as of late Wednesday, according to the secretary of state, gave Torres Small 99,440 votes and Herrell 96,712 votes.

Read more: https://www.abqjournal.com/1243372/outcome-of-cd-2-race-up-in-the-air.html

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This is my District, which has been held by a Repub for a long time. It's the area of New Mexico that houses a large number of Texas transplants. It's largely rural and covers a huge swath of land (the entire Southern portion of our state). The previous trumpian Representative, Steve Pearce, retired to run a losing campaign for governor. Last night, the race was called prematurely for the Repub by 2000 votes. Today, our Secretary of State (Democrat) located a large batch of uncounted ballots from Dona Ana County. Now, Torres-Small leads by 3000 votes, with an estimate of only 1100 ballots left to count.

Every other Federal office in our state is held by Democrats, including our new flip of the Governor's office. Now, the lone Repub in our state Congressional delegation is gone!

My county, Valencia, as well as the entire District has been a 10 point Republican advantage for a very long time. I can't tell you how much I and my friends are rejoicing. We not only have a Democrat for the first time in ages, its a woman and she's Hispanic!!! I'm so proud of my state! We've turned from purple 20 years ago to a solid Blue stronghold!

This unexpected turn of events adds another seat to the Democratic majority in the US House!

Woo-hoo!