U.S. House, New Mexico 1st Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in New Mexico's 1st Congressional District?
Melanie Stansbury has the strongest record in New Mexico's 1st Congressional District. Melanie Stansbury scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Melanie Stansbury's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Didi Okpareke (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Didi Okpareke
On the ballot as Ndidiamaka Ekwua Charlene Okpareke
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Melanie Stansbury
On the ballot as Melanie Ann Stansbury
69 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 85
- Performance
- 63
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Didi Okpareke
- On the record2026
Most of her campaign money came from individual donors, with some from the National Community Pharmacists Association PAC and county Republican groups.
- On the record2016
Founded Olive Tree Compounding Pharmacy in 2016 after working as a pharmacist.
Melanie Stansbury
- On the record2023
The Lugar Center's 2023 Bipartisan Index ranked her 373rd in the House, in the bottom quarter.
- On the record2021 to 2026
Ranking member of the House Oversight subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency.
- Credit2024 to 2025
Held open in-person town halls in the district, including Rio Rancho in August 2024 and October 2025.
- Credit2022
Primary sponsor of the Partnerships for Energy Security and Innovation Act, enacted in the 117th Congress.
Source: GovTrack, Melanie Stansbury
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Didi Okpareke. A 2026 candidate financial disclosure is on file with the House Clerk (filed Sept. 27, 2026) and campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10082963, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Melanie Stansbury. Her 2025 annual financial disclosure is on file with the House Clerk (filed May 12, 2026) and campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No periodic transaction reports appear in the Clerk index for 2023 to 2026, and no FEC administrative fine or ethics finding found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077139, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Didi Okpareke. No public record found.
Melanie Stansbury. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Didi Okpareke. Gave interviews to the Albuquerque Journal and answered its questionnaire. No general election debate or forum report found.
Melanie Stansbury. Holds open in-person town halls in the district, including Rio Rancho in August 2024 and October 2025 and Albuquerque events covered by KOB.
Sources: Rio Rancho Observer, Aug. 2024, Source NM via Yahoo News, Oct. 21, 2025, KOB 4, Oct. 2025
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Didi Okpareke. No public record found.
Melanie Stansbury. State representative from 2019 to 2021 and U.S. representative since 2021. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee report found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Didi Okpareke. No public record found.
Melanie Stansbury. Took the oath as a state legislator in 2019 and as a U.S. representative in June 2021, after the January 2021 elector votes. No official finding of misuse of office found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Didi Okpareke. Pharmacist with about 20 years in health care who founded Olive Tree Compounding Pharmacy in 2016. Has not held public office.
Melanie Stansbury. U.S. representative since June 2021, now in her third term, after serving in the New Mexico House from 2019.
Sources: GovTrack, Melanie Stansbury, Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Didi Okpareke. Proposes legislation to lower Medicaid costs and support rural hospitals, federal funding for water infrastructure and a large desalination plant, stated in general terms.
Melanie Stansbury. Ranking member of the Oversight Committee's Delivering on Government Efficiency subcommittee and a Natural Resources Committee member; points to a provision she wrote that opened the way for state funding of universal child care.
Sources: GovTrack, Melanie Stansbury, committees, Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Didi Okpareke. Answered the Albuquerque Journal questionnaire, gave the Journal an interview and publishes issue positions on her campaign site.
Melanie Stansbury. Holds town halls, answered the Albuquerque Journal questionnaire, gave the Journal an interview and offers a constituent newsletter.
Sources: Albuquerque Journal Candidate Q&A, Office site, offices, Rio Rancho Observer, Aug. 2024
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Didi Okpareke. Has lived in Albuquerque since 1997, graduating from Sandia High School and UNM, and lists Rio Rancho as her city of residence. About 52 percent of itemized individual contributions by state came from New Mexico (FEC by-state totals).
Melanie Stansbury. Describes herself as a native New Mexican, born and raised, and lives in Albuquerque. About 66 percent of itemized individual contributions by state in 2025 to 2026 came from New Mexico (FEC by-state totals).
Sources: Albuquerque Journal Candidate Q&A, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Didi Okpareke. Founded and runs a compounding pharmacy. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC with no administrative fine found.
Sources: Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2, 2026, FEC administrative fines search
Melanie Stansbury. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Didi Okpareke. No public record found.
Melanie Stansbury. Center for Effective Lawmaking rated her meets expectations in the 118th Congress. GovTrack counts one enacted bill as primary sponsor, the Partnerships for Energy Security and Innovation Act (117th).
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, Melanie Stansbury
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Didi Okpareke. No public record found.
Melanie Stansbury. Missed 53 of 2,759 roll call votes, 1.9 percent, from June 2021 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, Melanie Stansbury
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Didi Okpareke. No public record found.
Melanie Stansbury. Keeps an Albuquerque district office and offers casework services, and holds regular town halls across the district.
Sources: Office site, offices, Source NM via Yahoo News, Oct. 21, 2025
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Didi Okpareke. No public record found.
Melanie Stansbury. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of minus 1.19626 for 2023, the latest posted House scores, ranked 373rd, in the bottom quarter.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Didi Okpareke. No public record found.
Melanie Stansbury. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in New Mexico's 1st Congressional District?
Melanie Stansbury has the strongest record in New Mexico's 1st Congressional District. Melanie Stansbury scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Melanie Stansbury's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Didi Okpareke (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in New Mexico's 1st Congressional District in 2026?
Didi Okpareke (Republican), Melanie Stansbury (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Didi Okpareke a good candidate for Congress?
Didi Okpareke has public evidence on 7 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Melanie Stansbury a good candidate for Congress?
Melanie Stansbury scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 85 of 100, performance 63 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every New Mexico race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the New Mexico 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.