The newest plan--believed by informed insiders to be in the running as a top pick--would take a major step toward turning the southern congressional district from a conservative leaning district currently represented by GOP Rep. Herrell into a full fledged Democratic bastion. 

The ABQ Congressional District One represented by Rep. Stansbury and the northern Congressional District Two represented by Rep. Leger Fernandez are already reliably Dem. The proposed plan would keep their clear Dem advantage intact but dramatically change the face of New Mexican politics as it divvys up Albuquerque in a way never seen before.

As you can see, the plan (closer view and demographic info here) sends a large slice of the southern Second Congressional District into ABQ's Hispanic Democratic South Valley and Westside, precincts that would present a problem for Herrell who is seeking re-election to a second term next year.  

Furthermore, the plan would swallow up some GOP friendly conservative Eastside territory and place it in the northern congressional district which would then run all the way down to Hobbs. 

That SE NM oil city, which now has a majority Hispanic population, would be split between the northern and southern congressional districts, causing further headaches for Herrell. 

The dramatic change to the southern district, the last bastion of GOP power in the state, is the most important consequence of this proposed map. It was conceived by progressive interest groups and presented to the eight member NM Citizens Redistricting Committee chaired by former NM Supreme Court Justice Edward Chávez and which will make recommendations to the Legislature for the special redistricting session expected to start December 6. 

Supporters of the reshaped southern district say it would have 56 percent Hispanic residents compared to today's 49 percent. Given the state's majority-minority status they argue the change is natural and fair. 

As for placing a large swath of the ABQ South Valley in the southern district, the argument is that it is largely rural as is the southern district. More commentary from the group submitting the map is here.

The map to the right shows in greater detail how parts of ABQ would fall into the southern congressional district. (Click to enlarge). 

As for Rep. Stansbury, first elected at a June special election, her district would still be largely concentrated in the ABQ area but the plan does significantly expand its geography. Notably, she would pick up the Republican dominated counties of Chaves and Lincoln but would also add Dem dominated Guadalupe county. 

Under the plan, each district would have about 705,000 residents, an even split of the state's 2020 Census  population of 2.115 million. 

There has been speculation that the Dems might hold back on a sweeping remake of the state's congressional districts and do only minor tinkering. Some of the plans before the commission do only that. But if this sweeping plan makes the commission's final list of recommendations, as seems likely, it will be the one to watch in December. 

The map to the right shows in greater detail how parts of ABQ would fall into the southern congressional district. (Click to enlarge). 

A major political development in redistricting was the recent endorsement by Dem US Senator Martin Heinrich of Las Cruces City Councilor Gabe Vasquez for the '22 Dem nomination for the southern congressional seat. Heinrich, now the state's senior senator and taking a more active role in state politics, would seem sure to lobby the Dem legislative leadership to go all in for a district that could increase Vasquez's chances against Herrell. No other Dems have announced for the nomination.