Unity over Division, Ethics and Positivity on Display at Emery, Nagamine Watch Party

Election nights usually split a town into winners and losers, into the room that cheers and the room that goes quiet. Last night in Alamogordo, more than 140 of our neighbors chose to share one room instead, and it may be the most hopeful thing to come out of this election.

The party was co-hosted by two candidates who would never be mistaken for political twins. Jonathan Emery, a Republican with a law enforcement and military background, won his seat on the Otero County Commission after a tough primary fight against the state Republican Party chair. 

Grace Nagamine, an independent who was once homeless and on the opposite side of the law now an example of redemption, took on Rep. John Block in House District 51 and came closer than any of his past general-election challengers.

Their politics differ. Their campaigns did not. Emery ran on decency, ethics and simply being nice. Nagamine ran on redemption, family values and positivity.

The results were mixed.

One candidate celebrated a victory; the other fell short. But you would not have known it from the mood in the room.

The mayor, Sharon McDonald took the microphone to celebrate democracy itself, reminding the crowd that what we share as a community runs deeper than any ideological divide.

The mayor Susan Payne, former city manager Dr Stephanie Hernandez and was joined by the City Commissioner Stephen Burnet, a reminder that local leaders of every stripe showed up for the same reason, unity and a celebration of democracy. 

Then each candidate spoke, and neither used the moment to talk about themselves.

Emery and Nagamine celebrated one another and thanked the supporters who had carried their campaigns.

In a season when so much political talk is built on tearing the other side down, it was striking to hear two candidates spend their big night lifting each other and the people up.

The night included live music with John Cameron Stewart and line dancing, not the typical watch party but a celebration and fellowship. 

That is worth holding onto.

Campaigns end. Vote counts become official. But the people in that room will still be neighbors next week, shopping at the same stores, sending kids to the same schools and worrying about the same water system.

Last night showed that Otero County can disagree at the ballot box without turning on each other afterward.

We don't need everyone to vote the same way. We need more nights like this one, where people of different views gather, cheer one another on and leave a little more united than they arrived.

Congratulations to Jonathan Emery, to Grace Nagamine and to everyone who showed up to prove that democracy here is still something we celebrate together. That was the most valuable lesson or election 2026, the celebration of diversity and people no matter ones ideology nor differences.

More News from Alamogordo

• Otero County and New Mexico 2026 Election Results Republican Jonathan T. Emery beat independent Evan Christopher Lambert 2,947 to 1,628, or 64.4% to 35.6% taking the seat from the former State Republican chair.
• Block vs. Nagamine: Rep John Blocks Closest Race Yet Block slips a victory in the most competitive race of his lifetime.