Joe Cervantes
New Mexico State Senator, District 31 since 2012. Ran in 9 elections between 2002 and 2024, winning 9. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 14 yrs
- Since 2012
- Bills became law
- 5
- 25 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 14.5%
- Chamber median 7.9%
- With party
- 90%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +32.0
- Won 2020
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Courts, Corrections and Justice · vice chair
- Judiciary · chair
- Committees'
- Conservation
- Water and Natural Resources
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 Cervantes sits in the New Mexico State Senate
Cervantes is closer to the center than 75% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Martin Hickey, Leo Jaramillo, Michael Padilla
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:57 PM ET
With Cervantes’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats90%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the New Mexico State Senate.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Cervantes’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Cervantes | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 19, 2026 | HB 200: NEW HOMES FOR NEW MEXICO PROGRAM | No | Yes | No | Passed 22–13 |
| Feb 18, 2026 | HB 165: PAYMENT OF CERTAIN IRB SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 30–10 |
| Feb 18, 2026 | HB 184: INVESTMENT OF CONSERVATION & LEGACY FUNDS | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 25–11 |
| Feb 18, 2026 | HB 7: APPRENTICESHIP ASSISTANCE ACT TRANSFERS | Not voting | Yes | No | Passed 29–8 |
| Feb 17, 2026 | HJR 5: LEGISLATIVE COMPENSATION, CA | No | Yes | No | Passed 23–19 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Cervantes 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 | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | New Mexico State Senate, District 31 | Won | — | D+8.3 | — |
| 2020 | New Mexico State Senate, District 31 | Won | D+32.0 | — | — |
| 2016 | New Mexico State Senate, District 31 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2012 | New Mexico State Senate, District 31 | Won | D+36.5 | — | — |
| 2010 | New Mexico House of Representatives, District 52 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2008 | New Mexico House of Representatives, District 52 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2006 | New Mexico House of Representatives, District 52 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2004 | New Mexico House of Representatives, District 52 | Won | D+26.6 | — | — |
| 2002 | New Mexico House of Representatives, District 52 | Won | D+24.8 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive
Seats Cervantes has held
- New Mexico State Senate, District 31 · since 2012
- New Mexico House of Representatives, District 52 · 2002–2012
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Cervantes has run against
- John Thomas Roberts (R) · 2020 election, won
- Brett C. Preston (R) · 2012 election, won
- Sidney Neal Goddard (R) · 2004 election, won
- Juan Jaramillo (R) · 2002 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive
How we know Cervantes
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/14f0186e-bf9b-46aa-aa00-1ccc8f58490b
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET