New Mexico’s 3 Freshman Dems Seeking Re-election

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – With their re-election campaigns concluded, New Mexico’s three Democratic congressmen, fighting a national election-year mood that favored Republicans, could only wait Tuesday for returns to be counted.

The toughest battle was in the Albuquerque area, where Rep. Martin Heinrich faced GOP challenger Jon Barela. An Albuquerque Journal poll published Sunday showed Barela ahead but the race was tied statistically because the lead fell within the poll’s margin of error.

In southern New Mexico, Rep. Harry Teague ran against Republican Steve Pearce, who held the seat from 2002-2006 but gave it up two years ago for an unsuccessful run at U.S. Senate.

The safest seat seemed to belong to Rep. Ben Ray Lujan in northern New Mexico but he encountered a spirited challenge from Farmington petroleum engineer Tom Mullins.

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