Michele Tafoya
Won the August 11, 2026 Republican primary over Adam Schwarze, Royce White and six others with 51.8% of the vote.
Michele Tafoya is the Republican nominee for the open U.S. Senate seat. She is a former television sports sideline reporter, best known for covering NFL games, running as a political outsider.[1][6]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Positions on the issues
- SupportsExpand immigration enforcement and deportations
Supports enforcing immigration law, deporting noncitizens convicted of crimes including fraud, and cosponsoring a 'Deporting Fraudsters Act'; opposes efforts to abolish ICE.[4]
- SupportsIncrease police funding and staffing
Says she will push for more funding, equipment and training for law enforcement and opposes efforts to remove legal protections police rely on.[4]
In their words — priorities
- 'Stop the fraud': tougher penalties for fraud, including mandatory minimum sentences and deportation of noncitizens convicted of fraud, and stripping federal funding from states that don't implement anti-fraud audit controls.[4]
- Law and order: more funding, equipment and training for police; tougher penalties for violent crime; enforcing immigration law and deporting people in the country illegally who are convicted of crimes.[4]
- Cutting costs and taxes: opposing middle-class tax increases, cutting prescription drug costs, and supporting an 'all of the above' energy policy.[4]
- Keeping transgender athletes out of women's sports, education reform focused on parental rights and test scores, and stronger election-security measures.[4]
Background
- Worked for decades as a broadcast sports journalist, calling NFL games (including multiple Super Bowls) and other sporting events for NBC, ESPN and CBS.[6]
Campaign money
Raised $5.3M · spent $4.0M · $1.4M cash on hand (through 2026-07-22) FEC filing ↗