State Representative District 44 in New Mexico State House District 44, New Mexico

2026 Primary Election

• Kathleen M Cates — Incumbent State Representative in Rio Rancho, NM

  Kathleen M. Cates is an incumbent Democratic State Representative for New Mexico's District 44, serving Bernalillo and Sandoval counties since 2023. Running for the 2026 Primary Election, she champions women's reproductive rights and advocates for protecting New Mexico's water resources, calling it "the true gold." Cates proposes innovative affordable housing solutions, including requiring a percentage of new multi-family homes to be income-based and promoting owner-occupancy for first-time buyers. She currently holds leadership roles on the House Agriculture, Acequias and Water Resources Committee and is a member of the House Health & Human Services Committee.

• Raul R Vigil — Sergeant at New Mexico Public Education Department in Santa Fe, NM

  Raul Vigil, a Republican, sought election to the New Mexico House of Representatives to represent District 44 in the 2026 primary. He previously worked as a Sergeant at the New Mexico Public Education Department, with prior roles in public relations at the New Mexico Human Services Department and other positions within the State of New Mexico. Although he filed as a candidate for State Representative, he will not appear on the Republican primary ballot scheduled for June 2, 2026. His campaign records show an opening balance of $60 with no contributions or expenditures reported between April and May 2026.

• Adam Stanley Prior — Candidate for State Representative in NM

  Adam Stanley Prior is seeking the Republican nomination for State House, District 44, in New Mexico's 2026 primary election. He is running as a write-in candidate, emerging as the sole Republican contender for the district after Raul Vigil withdrew from the race. With no other Republicans on the ballot, Prior is unopposed for his party's nomination. The primary election, featuring New Mexico's semi-open primary system, is scheduled for June 2, 2026.