New Mexico's 1st Congressional District — 2026 Candidates

Melanie Ann Stansbury represents New Mexico's 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House. Before Congress she worked as a STEM educator across New Mexico communities and as a researcher focused on land and water issues, per her congressional office. She previously served on the staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, at the White House Office of Management and Budget, and as a New Mexico state legislator. She serves on the House Committees on Natural Resources and on Oversight and Government Reform, per the House's committee rosters. She grew up in a working family in Albuquerque and holds a bachelor's degree from Saint Mary's College of California and a master's degree in development sociology from Cornell University, per the campaign site.

Ndidiamaka Ekwua Charlene Okpareke, known as Didi Okpareke, is the Republican nominee for New Mexico's 1st Congressional District. She is a pharmacist and business owner who founded her own compounding pharmacy after training at the University of New Mexico, per her campaign site. She has nearly 20 years of experience in health care and had not previously held or run for political office, per the Albuquerque Journal.