2020 New Mexico Senate election


The 2020 New Mexico Senate elections 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.
A primary election on June 2, 2020, determined which candidates will appear on the November 3 general election ballot.

Results

Closest races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
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Retiring incumbents

Two incumbent senators chose to not seek reelection.
  1. John Sapien, District 9
  2. William Payne, District 20

Defeated incumbents

In primary

Seven incumbent senators sought reelection but were defeated in the June 2 primary. The Democrats defeated in the primary were part of a conservative faction that were targeted by progressive groups for voting with Republicans to defeat certain bills including legalizing marijuana or to pass bills limiting abortion rights.
Two of the challengers who unseated the incumbents went on to lose the general election: Pamela Cordova in the 30th and Neomi Martinez-Parra in the 35th.
  1. Richard Martinez, District 5
  2. James White, District 19
  3. Gabriel Ramos, District 28
  4. Clemente Sanchez, District 30
  5. John Arthur Smith, District 35
  6. Mary Kay Papen, District 38
  7. Gregg Fulfer, District 41

In general election

Two incumbent senators, both Republicans, won their respective primaries but were defeated in the November 3 general election by their Democratic opponent.
  1. Candace Gould, District 10
  2. Sander Rue, District 23

Detailed results

Source for primary election results:
Source for general election results:

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 Shannon Pinto has represented the 3rd district since her appointment on July 25, 2019, after the death of Democrat John Pinto. She was elected to a full term.
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. Martinez lost re-nomination to fellow Democrat Leo Jaramillo, who went on to win the general election.
Democratic primary

General election

District 6

Incumbent Democrat Roberto Gonzales has represented the 6th district since his appointment to the seat on December 20, 2019, after the death of Democrat Carlos Cisneros.

District 7

Incumbent Republican Pat Woods has represented the 7th district since 2012.

District 8

Incumbent Democrat Pete Campos has represented the 8th district since 1991.
Democratic primary

General election

District 9

Incumbent Democrat John Sapien has represented the 9th district since 2009. Sapien retired and was succeeded by fellow Democrat Brenda McKenna.
Democratic primary

Republican primary

General election

District 10

Incumbent Republican Candace Gould has represented the 10th district since 2017. Gould lost re-election to Democrat Katy Duhigg.
Democratic primary

General election

District 11

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

District 12

Incumbent Democrat Jerry Ortiz y Pino has represented the 12th district since 2005.

District 13

Incumbent Democrat Bill O'Neill has represented the 13th district since 2013.

District 14

Incumbent Democrat Michael Padilla has represented the 14th district since 2013.

District 15

Incumbent Democrat Daniel Ivey-Soto has represented the 15th district since 2013.

District 16

Incumbent Democrat and former congressional candidate Antoinette Sedillo Lopez has represented the 16th district since her appointment on January 14, 2019, after Democrat Cisco McSorley was named head of the Probation and Parole Division of the New Mexico Corrections Department.

District 17

Incumbent Democrat Mimi Stewart has represented the 17th district since 2015.
Democratic primary

General election

District 18

Incumbent Democrat Bill Tallman has represented the 18th district since 2017.

District 19

Incumbent Republican James White has represented the 19th district since 2016. White lost re-nomination to fellow Republican Gregg Schmedes, who went on to win the general election.
Republican primary

General election

District 20

Incumbent Republican William Payne has represented the 20th district since 1997. Payne retired and Democrat Martin Hickey won the open seat.
Republican primary

Democratic primary

General election

District 21

Incumbent Republican Mark Moores has represented the 21st district since 2013.

District 22

Incumbent Democrat Benny Shendo has represented the 22nd district since 2013.

District 23

Incumbent Republican Sander Rue has represented the 23rd district since 2009. Rue lost re-election to Democrat Harold Pope Jr.

District 24

Incumbent Democrat Nancy Rodriguez has represented the 24th district since 1996.

District 25

Incumbent Democratic Majority Leader Peter Wirth has represented the 25th district since 2009.

District 26

Incumbent Democrat Jacob Candelaria has represented the 26th district since 2013.

District 27

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

District 28

Incumbent Democrat Gabriel Ramos has represented the 28th district since his appointment on January 15, 2019, after Democrat Howie Morales resigned to become Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico. Ramos lost re-nomination to fellow Democrat Siah Correa Hemphill, who wnet on to win the general election.
Democratic primary

General election

District 29

Incumbent Republican Gregory Baca has represented the 29th district since 2017.

District 30

Incumbent Democrat Clemente Sanchez has represented the 30th district since 2013. Sanchez lost re-nomination to fellow Democrat Pamela Cordova. Cordova lost the general election to Republican Joshua Sanchez.
Democratic primary

Republican primary

General election

District 31

Incumbent Democrat Joe Cervantes has represented the 31st district since 2012.
Democratic primary

General election

District 32

Incumbent Republican Cliff Pirtle has represented the 32nd district since 2013.

District 33

Incumbent Republican William Burt has represented the 33rd district and its predecessors since 2011.
Republican primary

General election

District 34

Incumbent Republican Ron Griggs has represented the 34th district since 2012.

District 35

Incumbent Democrat John Arthur Smith has represented the 35th district since 1989. Smith lost re-nomination to fellow Democrat Neomi Martinez-Parra. Martinez-Parra lost the general election to Republican Crystal Diamond.
Democratic primary

General election

District 36

Incumbent Democrat Jeff Steinborn has represented the 36th district since 2017.
Republican primary

General election

District 37

Incumbent Democrat William Soules has represented the 37th district since 2013.

District 38

Incumbent Democrat Mary Kay Papen has represented the 38th district since 2001. Papen lost re-nomination to fellow Democrat Carrie Hamblen, who went on to win the general election.
Democratic primary

General election

District 39

Incumbent Democrat Liz Stefanics has represented the 39th district since 2017.
Republican primary

General election

District 40

Incumbent Republican Craig Brandt has represented the 40th district since 2013.

District 41

Incumbent Republican Gregg Fulfer has represented the 41st district since his appointment on December 26, 2018. Fulfer lost re-nomination to fellow Republican David Gallegos, who went on to win the general election.
Republican primary

General election

District 42

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