New Mexico accountant wins GOP primary, looks to cash out two-term Democrat in November

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New Mexico State Sen. Steven McCutcheon (R), National Border Patrol Council VP Art Del Cueto, Chicago resident Cata Truss, and former acting ICE Director Ron Vitiello discuss record-breaking illegal immigration under President Biden.

Steve Jones has won the GOP primary in his bid to unseat a two-term Democrat in the reliably blue 1st Congressional District of New Mexico.

Jones, 77, will face off with Democratic incumbent Rep. Melanie Stansbury in the November general election.

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New Mexico state capitol building. (Photo illustration)

Jones, a retired accountant with experience in the energy sector, beat his Republican opponent, gun range owner Louie Sanchez in a ___ to __ vote on Tuesday night.

In the 2022 midterm election, Stansbury was re-elected with 56% of the district's vote. Democrats in the district typically get at least 54% of votes, with Republicans trailing behind at about 46%.

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A voter fills out her ballot in early voting. (GEORGE FREY/AFP via Getty Images)

In New Mexico's latest redistricting, the 1st Congressional District saw boundary adjustments that expanded the district to include more rural areas to the south and east of Albuquerque – like Santa Rosa and Fort Sumner – while relinquishing a portion of southwest Albuquerque.

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The New Mexico State Capitol in Santa Fe is seen here on an overcast day.  (Robert Alexander/Archive Photos/Getty Images)

Jones, a "devout member of the Lutheran church," is also an Army veteran. In 2022, he lost a write-in bid for a seat in the state's 2nd Congressional District.