# 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico

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The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, and elected the three U.S. Representatives from the state, one from each of the state's three congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election, and a U.S. Senate election.

## Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats before | Seats after | +/– |
| | Democratic | 422,189 | 55.11% | 2 | 2 | - |
| | Republican | 343,269 | 44.81% | 1 | 1 | - |
| | Independent (Write-in) | 173 | 0.02% | | | - |
| | Green Party (Write-in) | 459 | 0.06% | | | - |
| Totals | Totals | 766,090 | 100% | 3 | 3 | - |

## District 1

The redrawn 1st district serves the central area of New Mexico, including almost three-fourths of Albuquerque. Incumbent Democrat Martin Heinrich, first elected in 2008, did not seek reelection, but instead ran for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Jeff Bingaman.

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Michelle Lujan Grisham, Bernalillo County Commissioner and candidate for this seat in 2008

##### Eliminated in primary

* Marty Chávez, former Albuquerque Mayor
* Eric Griego, state senator

##### Declined

* Hector Balderas, State Auditor
* Terry Brunner, head of rural development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in New Mexico and Jeff Bingaman’s former state director
* Diane Denish, former lieutenant governor and nominee for governor in 2010
* Martin Heinrich, incumbent U.S. Representative
* Timothy M. Keller, state senator
* James B. Lewis, State Treasurer
* Moe Maestas, state representative
* Stuart Paisano, former governor of Sandia Pueblo

#### Primary results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Michelle Lujan Grisham | 19,111 | 40.1 |
| | Democratic | Eric Griego | 16,702 | 35.0 |
| | Democratic | Martin Chávez | 11,895 | 24.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 47,708 | 100.0 |

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Janice Arnold-Jones, former state representative

##### Withdrawn

* Dan Lewis, Albuquerque City Councilmember

##### Disqualified

* Gary Smith, Army veteran

##### Declined

* Jon Barela, businessman and nominee for this seat in 2010

#### Primary results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Janice Arnold-Jones | 26,198 | 100.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 26,198 | 100.0 |

### General election
#### Endorsements

Organizations
* Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program
* EMILY's List
Organizations
* Maggie's List

#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) | Janice Arnold-Jones (R) | Undecided |
| Research & Polling Inc | October 23–25, 2012 | 401 | ± 4.9% | 51% | 36% | 13% |
| Research & Polling Inc | October 9–11, 2012 | 402 | ± 4.9% | 51% | 37% | 12% |
| Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research (D-Lujan Grisham) | October 8–9, 2012 | 407 | ± 5.0% | 55% | 40% | 5% |
| Research & Polling Inc | September 3–6, 2012 | 409 | ± 4.8% | 46% | 34% | 20% |
| Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research (D-Lujan Grisham) | July 10–15, 2012 | 502 | ± 4.0% | 50% | 42% | 8% |

#### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Safe D | November 5, 2012 |
| Rothenberg | Safe D | November 2, 2012 |
| Roll Call | Safe D | November 4, 2012 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe D | November 5, 2012 |
| NY Times | Lean D | November 4, 2012 |
| RCP | Safe D | November 4, 2012 |
| The Hill | Likely D | November 4, 2012 |

#### Results

New Mexico's 1st congressional district, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Michelle Lujan Grisham | 162,924 | 59.1 |
| | Republican | Janice Arnold-Jones | 112,472 | 40.8 |
| | Green | Jeanne Pahls (write-in) | 459 | 0.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 275,855 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## District 2

Incumbent Republican Steve Pearce was elected in 2010, having previously served from 2003 until 2009. Pearce sought reelection in 2012.

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Steve Pearce, incumbent U.S. Representative

#### Primary results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Steve Pearce (incumbent) | 29,911 | 100.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 29,911 | 100.0 |

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Evelyn Madrid Erhard, former teacher at New Mexico State University

##### Withdrawn

* Martin Resendiz, mayor of Sunland Park

##### Disqualified

* Frank McKinnon, businessman and candidate for this seat in 2008

##### Declined

* Nate Cote, state representative
* Edgar Lopez, head of a real estate company
* Harry Teague, former U.S. Representative

#### Primary results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Evelyn Madrid Erhard | 24,175 | 100.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 24,175 | 100.0 |

### General election
#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Steve Pearce (R) | Evelyn Madrid Erhard (D) | Undecided |
| Research & Polling Inc | October 23–25, 2012 | 113 | ± 9.2% | 56% | 38% | 6% |
| Research & Polling Inc | October 9–11, 2012 | 116 | ± 9.1% | 55% | 31% | 15% |
| Research & Polling Inc | September 3–6, 2012 | 119 | ± 9.0% | 56% | 30% | 14% |

#### Results

New Mexico's 2nd congressional district, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Steve Pearce (incumbent) | 133,180 | 59.0 |
| | Democratic | Evelyn Madrid Erhard | 92,162 | 40.9 |
| | Independent | Jack A. McGrann (write-In) | 173 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 225,515 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## District 3

Incumbent Democrat Ben Ray Luján was first elected in 2008. In April 2011 Luján declined to enter the U.S. Senate race and instead chose to seek reelection to the House of Representatives.

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Ben Ray Luján, incumbent U.S. Representative

##### Declined

* Sean Closson, artist and hotel worker
* Harry Montoya, Santa Fe County Executive

#### Primary results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ben R. Luján (incumbent) | 53,908 | 100.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 53,908 | 100.0 |

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Jefferson Byrd, rancher

##### Eliminated in primary

* Rick Newton, businessman

#### Primary results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jefferson L. Byrd | 13,055 | 53.5 |
| | Republican | Frederick L. Newton | 11,340 | 46.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 24,395 | 100.0 |

### General election
#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Ben Ray Luján (D) | Jefferson Byrd (R) | Undecided |
| Research & Polling Inc | October 23–25, 2012 | 148 | ± 8.0% | 53% | 35% | 12% |
| Research & Polling Inc | October 9–11, 2012 | 140 | ± 8.3% | 58% | 34% | 8% |
| Research & Polling Inc | September 3–6, 2012 | 139 | ± 8.3% | 57% | 31% | 12% |

#### Results

New Mexico's 3rd congressional district, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ben Ray Luján (incumbent) | 167,103 | 63.1 |
| | Republican | Jefferson Byrd | 97,616 | 36.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 264,719 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |