Las Cruces Rep. Nathan Small won a sixth term in New Mexico House District 36 on Nov. 3, keeping the chair of the state's budget-writing committee in the Doña Ana County seat he has held since 2017.
Unofficial results from the secretary of state's office showed Small, a Democrat, receiving 6,918 votes, or 59.7%, to Republican Julia Ruiz's 4,666 votes, or 40.3%. The margin was 2,252 votes out of 11,584 cast. The results remain unofficial until certified by the state.
Small chairs the House Appropriations and Finance Committee. In a Las Cruces Bulletin questionnaire published before the election, he said the Legislature had cut over $1 billion in taxes and used state resources to cover federal cuts to health insurance, Medicaid, SNAP and other areas.
He outlined plans to bring down prescription drug costs and increase the child tax credit and working family tax credit. "Those would help working families keep their hard-earned dollars," Small said in the Bulletin questionnaire.
In a post-election statement reported by Organ Mountain News, Small said door-to-door conversations had reinforced his priorities for the legislative session beginning in January.
"People are worried about the cost of housing, groceries, and utilities," Small said. "They want to be able to see a doctor when they get sick and to feel safe in their neighborhoods. And they want to know there will be enough water for our kids and grandkids."
He pointed to federal policy as a budget challenge. "With Washington cutting Medicaid and driving up costs, New Mexico has to step up," he said.
Small and Rep. Meredith Dixon sponsored the state's 2026 budget bill, according to Organ Mountain News. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed it in March after vetoing portions.
Ruiz, a Las Cruces office manager and New Mexico State University graduate, ran on public safety, government accountability and economic opportunity. In a Source New Mexico candidate questionnaire, she identified crime and homelessness as the district's most pressing issues and said her first priority would be evaluating state programs based on their results.
The Las Cruces Bulletin noted Small's victory alongside wins by other area Democratic incumbents, including Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena in District 33. Democrat Lori Martinez won the District 37 seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Joanne Ferrary.
Organ Mountain News reported it contacted Ruiz for comment, but she had not responded by the time of its publication.
