Martinez wins District 44 by over 1,000 votes

Rio Rancho resident Chriselle Martinez now holds a seat in the New Mexico State House. She won the District 44 race with 54% of the vote, defeating Republican incumbent Catherine Cullen by a margin exceeding 1,000 votes.

The result marks the fourth house seat in the state to change hands this cycle. This shift expands the Democratic majority to its biggest size in three decades. For Martinez, the win concludes a year of direct contact with voters across Rio Rancho and Sandoval County.

Martinez said she focused on specific local concerns during her campaign. She cited healthcare workers who lacked access to care in their own facilities. She also mentioned issues within the local school system and the priority of student safety. “Everything I heard from voters will translate into my engagement in policy work,” Martinez said.

The rest of Sandoval County’s representation has also shifted toward the Democrats. Kathleen Cates won reelection in District 44 by 14 percentage points over Adam Prior. Derrick Lente won District 65 without opposition. Republican Alan Martinez retained his District 23 seat unopposed.

Joshua Hernandez kept his District 60 seat with a 405-vote lead over challenger Luke Jungmann. County officials reported no signs of a recount in that race. Martinez is currently receiving congratulations from fellow legislators as she prepares to take office.