Martin Heinrich fends off challenge from Nella Domenici in US Senate race

Martin Heinrich is heading back to Washington after fending off a spirited challenge from Nella Domenici in the race for one of New Mexico’s two U.S. Senate seats.

Heinrich, a Democrat and former Albuquerque city councilor, was joined on stage by his wife and two sons while delivering a victory speech late Tuesday night at the Isleta Resort and Casino.

“For me, this is a moment of deep gratitude and also renewed commitment in each of you,” Heinrich said.

He also congratulated Domenici for a hard-fought race, saying, “Campaigns are hard-fought endeavors, and I respect the commitment it takes to run and the dedication of those who stand behind their candidate.”

Heinrich raised more than $12 million for his bid to retain the seat he’s held since 2013. During the run-up to Election Day, he maintained a consistent advantage in recent polls over Domenici, a Republican who pumped more than $2 million into her campaign in the form of loans.

The GOP challenger, the daughter of late former U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, struggled to make up ground against the incumbent amid a steady stream of attacks about her stance on abortion.

While Heinrich’s campaign claimed Domenici would join national Republicans in restricting abortion access, she insisted she would oppose a national abortion ban, saying abortion should be “safe, legal and rare.”

The two candidates also sparred during the run-up to Election Day over border security, crime, inflation and their respective commitments to New Mexico.

Domenici sought to portray Heinrich as a “radical” Democrat whose policy stances do little to address most state residents’ day-to-day struggles.

However, Domenici declined to say up until about a month before Election Day whether she planned to support fellow Republican Donald Trump’s bid to return to the White House.

She said during a televised debate last month she planned to vote for Trump, and then spoke at his campaign rally last week in Albuquerque that drew an estimated 7,000 people.

“It’s time to bring back Donald Trump and it’s time to bring back a Domenici,” she said to cheering supporters.

She told the Journal during an Election Day interview that Heinrich had created fissures within the state Democratic Party by endorsing progressive challengers in some legislative primary races.

Domenici also said New Mexico would be better off with a politically split U.S. Senate delegation — Democrat Ben Ray Luján is the state’s other U.S. senator and is not up for reelection until 2026 — if Republicans end up winning control of the chamber this year.

“It’s just shocking to me that our state wouldn’t want to have one Republican in the U.S. Senate to have a voice,” she said.

In a concession speech at the Hotel Albuquerque, Domenici urged supporters not to consider the election result as a loss.

“I’m going to remember tonight as the beginning of a movement,” Domenici said.

For his part, Heinrich sought to portray Domenici as a political opportunist, citing the fact she first voted in New Mexico elections in June 2020 after spending her career working and living on the East Coast.

Heinrich’s campaign even enlisted the help of fellow Democratic U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Chris Murphy of Connecticut in a recent social media video that poked fun at Domenici’s voting history.

In a brief discussion with reporters Tuesday after delivering his victory speech, Heinrich focused on policy issues and said passing a new spending bill for the current fiscal year is a top priority. He also vowed to ensure ample funding for New Mexico’s national laboratories is included in the federal spending package.

However, Heinrich’s victory might not quell speculation about his possible interest in running for governor in 2026.

He declined to rule out such a move during this year’s election cycle, saying in a recent debate, “I don’t traffic in rumors, and I will always serve New Mexico however I think I can do the most good for New Mexico, and right now that is in the United States Senate.”