Republican Sharon Clahchischilliage, a citizen of the Navajo Nation, conceded in New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District early in the morning on November 6, 2024.
"With all the precincts fully reported in CD3 I'm honored by this campaign and although the election results for New Mexico's US Congressional District 3 tonight are not what we all hoped for, I stand grateful to the amazing people of New Mexico’s Third District for their support during this election season," Clahchischilliage said in a statement shared on social media.
Clahchischilliage lost the race to Teresa Leger Fernandez, the Democratic incumbent. Unofficial results from the New Mexico Secretary of State show she won a resounding 66.54 percent of the vote in San Juan County, which is part of the Navajo Nation.
But the Native vote wasn't enough. Leger Fernandez won 56 percent of the vote in the district, giving her enough for a second term in office, according to the unofficial results.
As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Leger Fernandez served as the highest-ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs in the 118th Congress and as chair of the House Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States in the 117th Congress.
Sharon Clahchischilliage, citizen of Navajo Nation, concedes race in New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District. The Republican candidate also congratulated Donald Trump on his White House win. #NativeCongress #NativeVote pic.twitter.com/4SRUobN4R0
— indianz.com (@indianz) November 6, 2024