Emhoff hits campaign trail to rally New Mexico ahead of special election

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff on Thursday hit the campaign trail in New Mexico for congressional candidate Melanie Stansbury, his first campaign event since the Biden administration entered the White House.

Stansbury is running for the seat vacated by President Biden’s Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.

“She has it. She is a serious person. She is steeped in policy but she’s also steeped in this thing called public service. She is a serious public servant, and don’t we need some serious public servants in D.C. from this district?” Emhoff said at a rally at the New Mexico Federation of Labor in Albuquerque on Thursday evening. 

The rally was a canvas kickoff event at the early vote location ahead of the special election on Tuesday. Biden endorsed Stansbury on Tuesday.

“We need more women in government, we need more women in business and we need more men to step up and support them,” the second gentleman said.

Emhoff said that Stansbury has a “tough act to follow” after Haaland. He noted that Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) also held the 1st Congressional District seat in New Mexico from 2009 to 2013 before running for the Senate. 

“You have a history here of sending stars from this state to Washington, D.C.,” Emhoff said.

He also touted at the rally Biden’s American Jobs Plan, the sweeping infrastructure package, and its work to provide good union jobs.

The Democratic National Committee also tapped into Emhoff to join a virtual fundraiser in March. The fundraiser was Chairman Jaime Harrison’s first fundraiser and also included Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).