Politics Lea County, like most of the High Plains, eastern New Mexico and west-central Texas, is Republican. It has repeatedly claimed the status of the most Republican county in New Mexico in Presidential elections. In the 2004 Presidential election, Lea County was the top New Mexico county, as far as percentage, for Republican George W. Bush. He beat John Kerry 79%-20%. In 2008, the Republican candidate John McCain beat Democratic candidate Barack Obama by a wide but slightly smaller margin, 72% to 27%. In 2024, Donald Trump won over 80% of the county's vote, while Kamala Harris only received 18.5%, the worst showing for a Democrat in the county's history. It was Trump's strongest county in New Mexico in the 2024 election. No Democrat has received more than 30% of the county's vote since Bill Clinton in 1996.
Politics Lea County, like most of the High Plains, eastern New Mexico and west-central Texas, is Republican. It has repeatedly claimed the status of the most Republican county in New Mexico in Presidential elections. In the 2004 Presidential election, Lea County was the top New Mexico county, as far as percentage, for Republican George W. Bush. He beat John Kerry 79%-20%. In 2008 the Republican candidate John McCain beat Democratic candidate Barack Obama by a wide but slightly smaller margin, 72% to 27%. In 2024, Donald Trump won over 80% of the county's vote, while Kamala Harris only received 18.5%, the worst showing for a Democrat in the county's history. It was Trump's strongest county in New Mexico in the 2024 election. No Democrat has received more than 30% of the county's vote since Bill Clinton in 1996.