Tuesday night’s midterms shifted the balance of power in the U.S. Congress as Democrats convincingly took control of both the House and Senate, and the surge was so strong it even flipped Republican strongholds like Texas blue in statewide races.

Already a firmly blue state, New Mexico’s Democrats gained even more strength on Tuesday night as the party gained a supermajority in the state House.

It’s been 10 years since a Republican won a statewide race in New Mexico. None of Tuesday’s statewide races were remotely close. The state’s entire congressional delegation is made up of Democrats, and Dems have firm control over both bodies of the Legislature.

In the latest episode of the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast, Republican state Sen. Jim Townsend joins Santa Fe New Mexican state politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón to reflect on the aftermath of Tuesday’s blue wave and shares his thoughts on what his party needs to do to gain ground in New Mexico.

“Ouch, that hurt,” is what Townsend said he felt Tuesday as the results came in. “It was decisive, it was complete, and it was telling.”

The senator from Artesia said the outcome was at least partially a reflection of the public’s feelings toward the results of President Donald Trump’s policies. High fuel prices “hurt a lot of people in their pocketbooks” in rural New Mexico, Townsend said, and “they didn’t see an end to it.”

Townsend said the party needs to focus its messaging on what it can do to improve the lives of New Mexicans, especially when it comes to the economy and affordability issues.

With new leadership coming to the governor’s office with the election of Deb Haaland, Townsend shares what he’s heard from leaders in the oil and gas industry in the Permian Basin. Townsend also talks about his relationship with Stephanie Garcia Richard, who as the lieutenant governor will serve as the president of the state Senate.