Mike Smith
Artesia Daily Press
msmith@elritomedia.com
LeAnne Gandy was leading by a razor-thin, eight-vote margin in the race for the GOP nomination to New Mexico’s 66th House District.
The slim margin, less than 1% of the voters registered in the GOP primary for that house district, potentially meant an automatic recount would be conducted by the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office.
As of Tuesday, June 2, the night of the primary, Gandy earned 999 votes to Dan Lewis’ 991, with each of them at 45% of the votes tallied, according to unofficial results from the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office.
Trinidad Malone notched 230 votes or 10% of the vote.
Results are unofficial until they are canvassed in a special meeting by county commissions where the ballots were collected.
District 66 includes northern Eddy County, encompassing Artesia along with portions of Lea and Chaves counties.
Gandy won big in Lea County with 69% of the vote to Lewis’ 27%, but she lost out in Eddy County with 32% of the vote to Lewis’ 53%.
Chaves County was much closer with 46% of ballots in favor of Lewis and 44% for Gandy.
The day after the primary election on Wednesday, Gandy issued a statement on her campaign’s Facebook page, thanking voters and looking ahead to the results of the primary.
No Democrat signed on to run for the District 66 seat in the State House, meaning the winner of the GOP primary will likely run unopposed in the Nov. 3 General Election and replace State Rep. Jimmy Mason who opted not to seek reelection this year.
“Last night, the people of this district spoke — and every single vote matters. I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported me,” Gandy wrote.
“While we are currently leading in this race, we recognize there is now a recount underway. Under New Mexico law, a margin this close triggers an automatic recount, and we fully support that process. Democracy works when every ballot is counted accurately and every voice is heard.”
Lewis, also in a Wednesday Facebook post criticized Gandy for running what Lewis called a negative campaign, pointing to campaign materials sent by Gandy’s campaign to voters accusing Lewis of donating to “far-left” New York congressional candidate Rob Lubin.
Lubin lost his race in the 2024 General Election for New York’s Second Congressional District.
“We went from a 10-vote deficit to an 8-point deficit! I think we are in the recount margin for sure and I am checking on the possibility of a runoff. I am still praying that a negatively run campaign does not prevail,” Lewis said.