Las Cruces, N.M. – Tonight, immigrant youth and families in New Mexico’s southern congressional district celebrate as Xochitl Torres-Small pulls off an upset in the 2018 midterm elections, flipping NM-02 blue after 20 years of Republican control.
For the past three months, dozens of leaders and volunteers of United We Dream Action (UWDA), knocked on over 23,000 doors in Doña Ana county, phonebanked and texted tens of thousands of New Mexicans to ensure voters elected leaders who represented and fought alongside our families –like Michelle Luján Grisham, Deb Haaland, and now, Xochitl Torres Small.
UWDA voter turnout efforts focused in Santa Teresa, Sunland Park, Vado, Mesilla, Las Cruces, and Anthony –all of which experienced record setting voter turnout during these 2018 elections. UWDA identified more than 1500 young voters on college campuses to defeat well-known anti-immigrant Republican candidate Yvette Herrell.
Eli Cuna, United We Dream Action National Field Director said:
“UWDA made history tonight after engaging with tens of thousands of voters across Dona Ana county to ensure NM-02 turned blue, ending a 20-year Republican stronghold in the district. Now, immigrant families across the state can breathe a sigh of relief knowing all three of their Representatives in Congress will make sure their need to be protected before the Trump administration is uplifted in D.C.”
Uriel Rosales, DACA recipient and leader with United We Dream Action in Las Cruces said:
“Living in a border town, we live day to day the hateful and racist agenda of our current administration and Republicans. Voters rejected Herrell since she was a full supporter of Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda. No one knows what is best for our borders than those of us who live here. That’s why getting voters out to the polls was essential in ensuring my community’s needs were represented locally and nationally. My community and I are ready to work alongside Xochitl Torres-Small to ensure border communities are heard in D.C.”
Isaac De Luna, UWDA Political Director in New Mexico said:
“With the election of Xochitl Torres-Small, New Mexico is at a pivotal point where we can lead in creating more protections for immigrant and refugee families to be able to fight back against Trump’s deportation force. The flip of NM-02 means families across southern New Mexico will now have an ally who cares for their well being and will step up to defend our families’ interests with a strong voice and push for New Mexico to be a leader in fighting Republicans’ hate-filled agenda.