Many politicians want to succeed Congresswoman Deb Haaland. Few are willing to speak openly of their ambition at this early stage.
State Rep. Melanie Stansbury is an exception.
If senators confirm Haaland as Cabinet secretary of the Interior Department, Stansbury wants to replace her in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“I do intend to throw my hat in the ring,” Stansbury, D-Albuquerque, said in an interview.
Stansbury, 41, ran for public office for the first time in 2018. She made an emphatic entry, defeating seven-term Republican Rep. Jimmie Hall in District 28, Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights.
Hall might have underestimated Stansbury in the beginning. He hadn’t been pressed in reelection campaigns, and his district had slightly more registered Republicans than Democrats.
After Stansbury bested him in the early rounds of fundraising, Hall knew he was in a tough race. He couldn’t rebound at that stage.
Stansbury ousted Hall in one of the state’s bigger upsets. She received almost 54 percent of the vote. Stansbury also ended up raising $180,000, about $82,000 more than Hall, according to state campaign records.
Though a first-time candidate, Stansbury wasn’t a novice in politics or government.
She had worked as a career staff member in the White House Office of Management and Budget and the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
In committee work, Stansbury studied two of her role models — Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington. Those senators led the way in advancing a package of legislation on energy that had been months in the making.
But in 2016, Stansbury saw the proposal crumble in the House of Representatives as bipartisanship disappeared. It was a pivotal event for her.
“I was feeling in my heart it was time to go home,” she said of returning to Albuquerque. “I also said I want to get involved. I want to get in the fight.”
Her victory over Hall gave her a platform. In her first two years as a state representative, Stansbury sponsored or cosponsored 14 bills that became law.
One eliminated copayments from students who qualified for reduced-price school breakfasts and lunches. The measure cleared the House of Representatives 67-0 and then passed the Senate 39-0.
The state Legislature can be as fractious as a playground full of 10-year-olds. Stansbury sees something else, though. She says the bill delivering meals for students was one of many examples of bipartisanship at the Capitol.
Other proposals Stansbury helped turn into law were a mix of looking out for vulnerable people and improving the performance of state agencies.
One of her bills created a state task force to increase resources for reporting and identifying missing and murdered Indigenous women. Haaland has pressed the same issue on the national level.
Other successful bills by Stansbury directed state agencies to develop systems to modernize the energy grid and collaborate in national efforts to manage precious water.
Stansbury knows she is one of many politicians who would compete for Haaland’s seat if it opens in 2021.
For a Democrat, getting the nomination probably will be more challenging than winning the special election.
No primaries would figure into the process of replacing Haaland. Instead, Stansbury and every other Democrat who wants the seat would try to win support from the Democratic Party’s State Central Committee.
A spokeswoman for the party said 150 to 200 committee members from the 1st Congressional District would select a nominee if Haaland moves on to the Interior Department.
Republicans and Libertarians would go through the same nominating process. But the fiercest competition would be in Democratic circles.
Haaland might be influential in choosing a candidate to succeed her.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who represented the 1st Congressional District from 2013 through 2018, could be even more powerful in the selection process.
Whoever the Democratic Central Committee chooses will be favored to win the special election. Not since 2006 has a Republican won the 1st Congressional District.
Stansbury’s strategy in defeating Hall and then winning reelection this year was to ignore party labels and focus on what’s possible.
She believes a similar message would work in a special election to replace Haaland.
“You need smart, good-hearted people to run for Congress,” Stansbury said. “Heart and the mind you bring to the work really matter.”
If there’s a race, Stansbury is in. She should be a top contender, but the usual rules won’t apply.
What’s ahead might resemble the old political machines. Insiders slated the candidates who would appear on the ballot. Voters sat on the sidelines, far removed from the action.
(20) comments
Very productive comment by former Lt. Gov. Denish. Some of us still look to her for leadership. Look, Brian Colon spent a staggering $800,000 running for Mayor and the voters just aren't that into him. My first choice is Mr. Integrity himself, our Attorney General, but if Hector doesn't run, I'm ready to learn a lot more about Rep. Stansbury, Sen. Sedillo Lopez, Zack Quintero, and all the rest. There's a lot to be said for someone young and new like Rep. Stansbury. This was a very useful piece about her.
Very interesting profile. Her attitude about politics and bipartisanship is refreshing and sorely needed. Good Luck! This will be an interesting race to follow and I look forward to hearing more about all of the candidates. This piece is a great example of speaking up and leaning in.
Hopefully you will give every candidate who is considering the same space as Rep. Stansbury: Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, Randi McGinn, Zack Quintero, Brian Colon, and maybe others who have been quietly exploring the race. Democrats have a very bad history of picking the best candidate in this process -- think 1998 when Phil Maloof was chosen to run against Heather Wilson 1998 and lost the special and the general. And then, there was the time Bill Richardson vacated the CD3 seat to join the Clinton administration, CD3 chose Eric Serna who lost to Bill Redmond. Fortunately, Tom Udall came along in the General and defeated Redmond and the seat has been held by Democrats since then. Don't get too excited...lots to happen in the next few months.
Very well stated Di, and your interpretation of the history of the insider, Democratic Party operatives picking winners is very correct. Let's hope this one is more competently done, and Brian is selected.
Has she ever finished her Ph.D. in sociology at Cornell yet? But regardless, she is far too left wing/socialist and inexperienced for this job. Brian Colon is the only real choice here.
A Ph.D. in sociology is probably not one of those degrees that will easily get you a job.
Very true Khal, and the kind of degree that explains much college debt due to that fact. But politicians don't need any degrees really, and this one looks like she is all in as a professional politician now.
Wow. You Trump republicans are attacking her education and expertise. So typical of the Trump crowd. Downplay experts who learn and care and instead build up bloviators with uneducated opinions that fit your prejudice who work to damage our country. I commend her for getting and education and serving our country. Mike and Khal, did you guys attend college or graduate school? Probably not.
I've been rather disappointed with Stansbury. We had spoken to her about a regenerative farming proposal, she declined it, promising to send us a report she had worked on regarding her decision, then completed ghosted us despite multiple requests for the report.
I had also expected her support on the 2018 Support for a Green New Deal resolution, but she failed to co-sponsor that as well.
I think Antoinette Sedillo Lopez would make for a much more honest and qualified US Congresswoman.
Your article is way off. The most logical replacement and best-known candidate is Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez. She has the most experience and is well liked.
Not well liked if you have any interest in the petroleum industry and the 40% of state revenues that come from it.......https://www.abqjournal.com/1281501/drilling-ban-plan-just-fracking-ridiculous.html?fbclid=IwAR29akWS2Rkn8CHrEv1p6WozRpB49dYugugIM2pGIQAm4nMlJzZX2zZ2ir0
Heh. Never let facts get in the way of ideology, eh, Michael?
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From Stansbury's Wiki entry:
Stansbury was born in Farmington, New Mexico and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[2] She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in human ecology and natural science from Saint Mary's College of California, followed by a Master of Science from Cornell University. She is a PhD candidate in development sociology at Cornell with minors in natural resources and American Indian studies.[3]
Career
Stansbury began her career as an ecology instructor at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. As a White House Fellow, she worked as a policy advisor on the Council on Environmental Quality. She was a consultant at Sandia National Laboratories and later served as a program examiner in the Office of Management and Budget during the Obama administration. She worked as a staffer on the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Since 2017, she has worked as a consultant and senior advisor at the Utton Transboundary Resources Center of the University of New Mexico.[4]
I have communicated with her on Facebook about issues pertaining to Mental Health. What a decent, sincere person. She never gets rattled and amazing focus and drive. Her love of Albuquerque and surrounding areas is quite evident. Strong, modest and with a fine education. Best to her.
I don't know Rep. Stansbury but she sounds like a very strong candidate from both experience and outlook. Sending a younger person with Congressional committee work experience would be a plus. I found this column to be interesting, timely, straightforward and well put.
I have a real quarrel with the last paragraph. Knowing full well that party control of politics is dead; it's still a shame. Today's polarization of the electorate is no accident. Back in the days the parties controlled who got the party nomination, it was in the interest of the party to find capable, centrist candidates who could appeal to a wide range of voters. Now, the loudest most partisan shouter wins the primary by appealing to emotions which, too often, are of the base sort. Cf. Donald J. Trump. Or Alexis Johnson. Many other examples exist.
Zero chance. Keep dreaming.
Porque?
LMAO!! Based on what, or is this just another baseless statement from the Right?!
The Pajarito Mesa gal Ms Dinah Vargas would be a superb choice. Native and hispanic and pro familia and pro save environment esp the drinking waters. She would not be biased as never being in high up egotistical control freak politicians in this state need a good sage cleanse of their egos getting in their way.
Ms Vargas has Street Smarts which you cannot be taught that in any PHD program. She would be my pick to replace DWi Haaland. We really need the times for only two to 3 max runs then get out. No more lifers in gubmint.
We are for voter ID cards just as my Mexico cousins already use.
Face foto thumb pring proof of birth proof of residence. Your voter ID card is surrendered on one voting day.
a Sunday. All Mexico votes on one day. Thumb prints are put on paper ballots. Cards are returned once the hand counts are done. Learn from Mexico. Yes it is socialist. We are already there in many ways and we see the result of medical tyranny from the mini michelle Grincham .
Try Our Dinah Vargas. She will not be bringing excess baggage these others have from being gubmint permanent paychecker. Term limits please new mexicans. no sean bobos! No mas socialosmo!
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