Melanie Stansbury — Democrat Candidate for U.S. House in New Mexico, 2026

Melanie Stansbury advocates for a compassionate approach to immigration, supporting family reunification and a pathway to citizenship to enhance the country's economic and cultural landscape. She opposes increased funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and criticized House GOP efforts to advance H.R.2, which she states revives Trump-era border policies that put children in cages. Additionally, she voted against the Secure the Border Act and the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act.

“"I am a hard no on funding this out-of-control agency. The American people demand accountability," said New Mexico congresswoman Melanie Stansbury (The Guardian, January 20, 2026).”

Melanie Stansbury supports Medicare for All, stating that healthcare is a human right and advocating for universal access regardless of pre-existing conditions. She celebrated the House passage of health care insurance subsidies, noting they expand access for uninsured individuals. Stansbury also co-reintroduced the Public Health Nursing Act, which aims to bolster the nursing workforce to address healthcare shortages. Additionally, she voted against a Republican funding deal, criticizing its negative impact on healthcare access.

“Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system,” said Representative Stansbury. “It’s way past time to overhaul our healthcare system and prioritize the needs of our communities and the healthcare work force. The Public Health Nursing Act is a crucial step toward addressing the healthcare shortage in New Mexico and across the country, by rebuilding and sustaining a robust public health nursing workforce and investing in the people and caregivers that make it happen.” (Representative Stansbury, markey.senate.gov, January 9, 2026)”

Representative Melanie Stansbury actively supports climate and environmental initiatives, earning a 2025 score of 100% and a 97% lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters, which endorsed her. She voted against the Reliable Power Act in 2026 and opposed the Don't Mess With My Home Appliances Act (HR 4626) and Homeowner Energy Freedom Act (HR 4758). Stansbury advocates for legislation to address climate change, develop renewable energy, and ensure water security, citing natural resource protection as essential for economic prosperity.

“New Mexico and our planet are facing a climate crisis. Historic drought is amplifying water insecurity throughout our state and larger and more frequent fires are devastating our public and private lands. I have spent nearly two decades of my career dedicated to science-focused work on water and natural resource issues both on a statewide and national scale. The protection of our natural resources is not only essential to securing our economic prosperity and a more sustainable future, but is essential to the preservation of our cultural identity, heritage, and ways of life. In the last two years alone, I have passed legislation to modernize our electrical grid and to advance a more data-driven approach to water management to help build a more resilient future for New Mexico. I also passed legislation and budget initiatives supporting New Mexico’s farmers and ranchers in improving soil health and agricultural practices. In Congress, I will continue to fight to pass meaningful legislation to address climate change, develop more renewable energy, ensure our water security, clean air, and the preservation of our natural resources." — Melanie Stansbury, Ballotpedia”

Melanie Stansbury supports reproductive rights, emphasizing that every individual should have the right to make decisions about their own body and access essential reproductive health care. In Congress, she co-sponsored and voted for the Women's Health Protection Act to codify abortion rights nationwide. Stansbury also voted to pass the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act and the Right to Contraception Act, and she opposed an amendment to prevent taxpayer dollars from funding abortions.

““Every New Mexican and every person across the country should have the right to make decisions about their own bodies,” said Rep. Stansbury. “We have already witnessed the cost of Republicans’ extreme agenda to ban and criminalize abortion in states across the country, where patients have been denied lifesaving care and healthcare providers are under attack. As House Republicans seek to expand these attacks at the federal level, I am committed to protecting the ability of every New Mexican to make their own personal health care decisions and access essential reproductive health care, and am proud to cosponsor a resolution to protect reproductive health care workers.” - Rep. Melanie Stansbury, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury | Representing New Mexico's First Congressional District”

Melanie Stansbury voted against the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, citing concerns about presidential and defense secretary actions and discriminatory provisions within the bill. She supported H.R. 8035, the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024, providing $60.1 billion in security assistance. She also opposed H.R. 8369, the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, which would have enabled immediate delivery of assistance without adherence to existing arms transfer laws.

“In New Mexico, we have a long and proud history of military service, and we honor our service members and veterans every day. I am proud of the bipartisan work on the National Defense Authorization Act this year, which has yielded significant wins for New Mexico, including a long-overdue pay raise of 3.8% for our service members, funding for Kirtland Air Force Base, and language we secured to hold DOD and DOE accountable for the cleanup of munitions on tribal lands, including at Isleta Pueblo. I am also grateful for bipartisan negotiations that removed some of the more harmful provisions in the bill, increased oversight over the Administration’s DOD activities, and restored funding for our European allies against Russian aggression, which the Administration zeroed out. [...] "As such, I am grateful for the good that will come from provisions that will help New Mexico, but I must vote no in these extraordinary times, as this bill fails to rein in a President and Defense Secretary who are daily defying the Constitution, law, and values of this country." [...] "However, as a Member of the House Oversight Committee, I cannot in good conscience vote for a bill that authorizes over $900 billion in military spending while the President has turned his back on our allies in his National Security Strategy, is deploying U.S. troops on U.S. soil, and his Secretary of Defense is being investigated for potentially illegal strikes and military build-up in the Caribbean. Furthermore, the discriminatory thumbprint of this White House is evident throughout this bill with the inclusion of anti-transgender language, the removal of coverage for IVF, and continued attacks on diversity across our nation’s proud service members." — Rep. Melanie Stansbury, from an official press release.”

Melanie Stansbury has prioritized education, voting to increase teacher pay and expand educational opportunities as a state legislator. She co-sponsored legislation to establish an Early Childhood Education and Care Fund to invest in early childhood education. In Congress, she aims to increase educational opportunities for children, raise teacher salaries, and invest in education from pre-K through higher education, including community support services. She also endorsed candidates for the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education.

“As a state legislator, I have voted to give our teachers and school workers a much-deserved raise and expand educational opportunities and equity across the state. I co-sponsored legislation to create an Early Childhood Education and Care Fund to invest in early childhood education and our most precious resource—our kids. I worked to pass legislation to help address childhood hunger and have sponsored legislation and budget initiatives to address systemic food insecurity. In Congress, I will make education and child-wellbeing a top priority. I will continue to push for more educational opportunities for kids, increase pay for teachers, and for investments in education and community supports and wrap-around services from pre-K to college and continuing education. (Melanie Ann Stansbury, Ballotpedia)”

Research pending more substantial sources.