Republican Party files legal challenge to New Mexico's recently approved political maps

SANTA FE – The Republican Party on Friday filed a legal challenge to New Mexico’s recently approved political map that reshapes the state’s three congressional districts.

The lawsuit was filed in a Roswell-based state district court. The state Republican Party and affiliated individuals argue the newly drawn congressional districts dilute Republican voting strength in violation of the equal protection clause of the New Mexico state Constitution.

“The State Legislature ran roughshod over traditional redistricting principles and used illegitimate reasons to draw lines impermissibly diluting the voting strength of one region and one political party,” the lawsuit states.

The political maps were approved in December by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and the Democrat-led Legislature.

The traditionally conservative-leaning 2nd District has shifted to incorporate heavily Hispanic neighborhoods of Albuquerque and cede portions of an oil producing region in southeastern New Mexico.

GOP U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, won the district in 2020 by ousting a one-term Democrat.

The changes also hold political implications for first-term Democratic U.S. Reps. Melanie Stansbury of Albuquerque and Teresa Leger Fernandez of Santa Fe.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in December that the new political boundaries provide a “reasonable baseline for competitive federal elections, in which no one party or candidate may claim any undue advantage.”

More:In new maps, New Mexico Democrats may have drawn party into tough spot

Consultants to the Legislature say the new congressional map gives Democrats an advantage in all three districts to varying degrees, based on past voting behavior.

Republicans need a net gain of five seats in 2022 to take control of the U.S. House and effectively freeze President Joe Biden’s agenda on everything from climate change to the economy.