Separately on Thursday, two Native American communities expressed opposition to a Congressional redistribution plan that would expand the state’s traditionally Democratic 3rd Northern District into a conservative oil-producing region of the state.

Lobbyist Conroy Chino, representing the indigenous communities of Taos Pueblo and Acoma Pueblo, said the Democrat-backed redistribution proposal would negatively influence the political representation of the two tribes.

Despite criticism, Democratic Senator Joseph Cervantes and Representative Georgene Louis’ congressional redistribution bill moved forward to a Senate vote on Thursday, with a 6-3 approval by the Judiciary Committee.

The proposal would change the political landscape in the 3rd Congressional District for outgoing Democratic Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez, enveloping more politically conservative voters in the traditionally Democratic district and diluting Native American representation.

Chino also noted a close relationship between Taos and Acoma pueblos and Leger Fernandez, a congresswoman for the first term, a lawyer with long experience on indigenous issues and projects.

“Under this current iteration, the number of Native Americans in Congressional District 3 is reduced from 20% to 16%,” Chino said. “And the tribes that I represent feel that this will impact their interests at the congressional level, they will have competing interests from where they sit in the state with, perhaps, the southeastern part of it. ‘State.”