Teresa Leger Fernandez


Teresa Leger Fernandez is an American attorney and political candidate. In the June 2, 2020 primary, Leger Fernandez became the Democratic nominee for New Mexico's 3rd congressional district in the 2020 elections.

Early life and education

Leger Fernandez was born in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Her mother was a bilingual educator and her father, Ray Leger, served as a member of the New Mexico Senate. After graduating from West Las Vegas High School, Leger Fernandez earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University and a Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School.

Career

After graduating from law school, Leger Fernandez returned to New Mexico, to work as an attorney, specializing in community-building and tribal advocacy. Leger Fernandez was a White House Fellow during the Clinton Administration and later served on the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation during the Obama Administration. She also worked as a liaison between the White House Office and United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. For 30 years, Leger Fernandez has operated Leger Law and Strategy, LLC in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The firm focuses on community development, tribal advocacy, civil rights, and social justice. In 2017, Leger Fernandez led a successful effort to implement ranked-choice voting in Santa Fe municipal elections.

2020 U.S. House election

After incumbent Representative Ben Ray Luján announced that he would not seek re-election in 2020 and run for Tom Udall's seat in the United States Senate, Leger Fernandez announced her candidacy to succeed him. In the Democratic primary, Leger Fernandez faced six opponents, including New Mexico State Representative Joseph L. Sanchez and Valerie Plame, an author and former CIA officer. During the primary, Leger Fernandez was criticized for attack ads against Plame, including one that featured swastikas superimposed over Plame's eyes, a reference to Plame's past comments that were perceived as anti-Semitic. Legar Fernandez later denied any involvement with the ads. Leger Fernandez was also criticized for her campaign's use of funds donated by so-called "dark money" groups that do not disclose their donors. In response, Leger Fernandez denounced "dark money" groups and pledged support for campaign finance reform. During the campaign, Leger Fernandez was endorsed by Congresswoman Deb Haaland, EMILY's List, and The Santa Fe New Mexican.
A political progressive, Leger was also endorsed by the Working Families Party, Elizabeth Warren, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Leger Fernandez placed first in a field of seven candidates with over 42% of the vote. Leger Fernandez will face environmental engineer Alexis Johnson in the November general election.

Political positions

Leger Fernandez has advocated for a "New Mexico Green New Deal," Medicare For All, a transition away from fracking to green energy, and a ban on the sale of military style semi-automatic rifles. She has also supported comprehensive immigration reform and the passing of the DREAM Act.

Personal life

Leger Fernandez and her husband, Luis Fernandez, have three sons. Leger Fernandez and her husband have since divorced.