Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01)

Michelle Lujan Grisham is running for Congress in NM-01.

Grisham currently serves as the Bernalillo County Commissioner in New Mexico and is a health care consultant. She was formerly appointed Director of the Agency on Aging in New Mexico, a position she held for 14 years.  She was then appointed Secretary of Health in 2004 and served for three years. She currently serves as commissioner with the New Mexico State Bar and co-founded a small business specializing in management and consulting services for non-profits in health care reform.

WAND Distinguishing points: Grisham has been active in the fields of health care reform and protecting and promoting women’s rights. Her top three issues as a first term Member of Congress would be creating jobs, expanding business opportunities for women, and reducing the deficit. Grisham explained her decision to enter the election race by saying, “A band of right wing radicals in Congress has hijacked our country and put the interests of their corporate masters ahead of the middle class, seniors and the most vulnerable among us."

The Seat: New Mexico’s first district is currently represented by Rep. Martin Heinrich (D), who is running for Jeff Bingaman’s Senate seat in 2012. Grisham ran for the Democratic nomination in 2008 in the same district and finished third. She has two opponents in the Democratic primary both of whom have out-fundraised her thus far: state Senator and progressive Eric Griego and former Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez. An internal from Lake Research for Chavez gives him a substantial lead over his more progressive challengers in the open seat Democratic primary thanks to a big name rec advantage. Chavez leads Griego and Grisham 32-15-8, with 41% undecided.  Grisham’s campaign claims that she will be able to mobilize both swing women and Latino voters saying she successfully earned their support in her race for the County Commission. Primary elections are on June 5, 2012.

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