(CNN) Democratic state Rep. Melanie Stansbury will win the special election to represent New Mexico's 1st Congressional District, CNN projected Tuesday, securing the seat left vacant when Interior Secretary Deb Haaland joined the Biden administration. Stansbury, a scientist who has served in the New Mexico state House since 2019, defeated Republican state Sen. Mark Moores. Her victory for the seat, which had been vacant since March, will give the narrow Democratic majority in the US House a bit more breathing room. And Democratic presidential nominees have won the district in every election since 2004. While the election doesn't alter the balance of power in the US House, it brings the Democrats' narrow majority to 220-211, with four seats vacant.

Source: CNN June 02, 2021 02:29 UTC