Derrick Lente
New Mexico State Representative, District 65 since 2016. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 9 yrs
- Since 2016
- Bills became law
- 7
- 22 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 23.8%
- Chamber median 6.4%
- With party
- 92%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +53.7
- Won 2020
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Revenue Stabilization and Tax Policy · chair
- Taxation and Revenue · chair
- Commerce and Economic Development
- Legislative Finance
- Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Lente sits in the New Mexico House of Representatives
Lente is closer to the center than 89% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Art De La Cruz, Wonda Johnson, Marian Matthews
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:57 PM ET
With Lente’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats92%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the New Mexico House of Representatives.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Lente’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Lente | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 18, 2026 | SB 38: FEES ON REGISTERED PET FOOD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 53–11 |
| Feb 18, 2026 | SB 152: LOW-INCOME TELECOMM. ASSISTANCE PROGRAM | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 48–14 |
| Feb 17, 2026 | SB 241: CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ACT | Not voting | Yes | No | Passed 37–19 |
| Feb 16, 2026 | HB 332: CAPITAL OUTLAY REAUTHORIZATIONS | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 43–20 |
| Feb 12, 2026 | HB 4: HEALTH CARE AFFORDABILITY FUND DISTRIBUTIONS | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 48–19 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Lente was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | New Mexico House District 65 | Won | — | D+37.8 | — |
| 2024 | New Mexico House of Representatives, District 65 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2022 | New Mexico House of Representatives, District 65 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2020 | New Mexico House of Representatives, District 65 | Won | D+53.7 | — | — |
| 2018 | New Mexico House of Representatives, District 65 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2016 | New Mexico House of Representatives, District 65 | Won | — | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: New Mexico Secretary of State (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Seats Lente has held
- New Mexico House of Representatives, District 65 · since 2016
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Lente has run against
- Phillip D. Salazar (R) · 2020 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: New Mexico Secretary of State (unofficial)
How we know Lente
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/0421351b-6a8c-4731-bf93-5029d6b4feab
- Wikidata Q91140999
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET