By Damien Willis on Jun 3, 2026

Daisy Maldonado wins Democratic primary for Doña Ana County Commission District 1

Daisy Maldonado won the Democratic primary for Doña Ana County Commission District 1 by 277 votes and will face Samantha Barncastle Salopek in November.

Daisy Maldonado won the Democratic primary for the open Doña Ana County Commission District 1 seat and will face Republican Samantha Barncastle Salopek in the November general election. (Courtesy image / Organ Mountain News rendering)

Maldonado defeated Angela Garcia by 277 votes and will face Republican Samantha Barncastle Salopek in November.

Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News

Meta description: Daisy Maldonado won the Democratic primary for Doña Ana County Commission District 1 by 277 votes and will face Samantha Barncastle Salopek in November.

LAS CRUCES - Daisy Ann Maldonado won the Democratic primary for the open Doña Ana County Commission District 1 seat, defeating Angela Rowe Garcia by 277 votes in final unofficial precinct results posted Wednesday morning.

With all 190 precincts fully reporting, Maldonado had 2,013 votes, or 54%, while Garcia had 1,736 votes, or 46%, according to the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office.

Maldonado will face Republican Samantha R. Barncastle Salopek in the November general election. Barncastle Salopek was unopposed in the Republican primary.

The Democratic contest remained too close for Organ Mountain News to call overnight, when Maldonado led Garcia by 281 votes with all precincts still reporting partial returns. The Secretary of State’s Office later marked all 190 precincts as fully reporting and listed Maldonado as the Democratic winner.

District 1 is an open seat currently represented by Christopher Schaljo-Hernandez, who was elected in 2022 and is not seeking reelection. The district includes downtown Las Cruces, Mesilla, Picacho Hills, Fairacres, Mesquite, La Mesa and San Miguel.

Maldonado entered the race after criticizing the County Commission’s approval of financing tied to Project Jupiter, OMN previously reported. Her campaign says she has spent more than a decade working alongside colonia residents and working families in Doña Ana County and Las Cruces.

Barncastle Salopek is an attorney whose work has focused on water and natural resources policy. She ran for state Senate District 38 in 2024, losing to Democratic Sen. Carrie Hamblen by 298 votes.

The results remain unofficial until canvassed.

Damien Willis is founder and editor of Organ Mountain News. If you have a personal story to share or a lead we should follow up on, reach out at OrganMountainNews@gmail.com or connect with him on X at @damienwillis.

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