Luján Secures Second Senate Term

Ben Ray Luján won reelection to the U.S. Senate Tuesday, securing a second six-year term in Washington. The Nambé Democrat defeated Republican Larry Marker by double digits according to unofficial election totals and television network projections.

Luján, 53, held a substantial lead throughout the race. He defeated Farmington Democrat Matt Dodson in the June primary, capturing 84 percent of the vote. The general election contest was less competitive than the primary, with Luján facing a write-in candidate.

Marker, 62, had to mount a write-in campaign to qualify for the November ballot. The Republican primary was unusual because the party's original candidate failed to meet qualification deadlines. Marker, a self-employed oil and gas businessman from Roswell, attracted more than 31,000 votes to secure his spot on the ballot.

Marker acknowledged the difficulty of challenging an established incumbent. "I'm not delusional," Marker said in October. "I know it's a challenge." He conceded the odds were long given Luján's fundraising advantages and name recognition.

Luján entered the race with nearly six years of experience in the Senate and twelve prior terms in the U.S. House. He is the son of the late Ben Lujan, a longtime speaker of the New Mexico House. Democrats viewed the seat as a safe hold as they attempted to regain control of the Senate for President Donald Trump's final two years in office.

A September poll by the Albuquerque Journal showed Luján leading Marker 53 percent to 38 percent among likely voters. Luján insisted in interviews that he was not taking the election for granted. He focused his campaign on affordable healthcare, economic development, and infrastructure improvements.

Luján pledged to address rising household costs and create jobs. He criticized President Trump's tariffs, arguing that broad import taxes increased costs for consumers and businesses. He stated that strategically applied tariffs could be useful but opposed the administration's current approach.

On economic development, Luján said New Mexico should leverage its national laboratories, military installations, and research universities. He called for stronger connections between colleges, trade schools, and employers to prepare young New Mexicans for the workforce. He also pledged to protect public lands from widespread sales and support safeguards for artificial intelligence.

The race was jolted by a last-minute lawsuit involving the League of Women Voters. The organization mixed up a picture of Marker in its general election voter's guide. The Republican Party sued to prohibit distribution of the guides at polling places. District Judge Jared Kallunki in Roswell ordered county clerks to remove the guides from polling places statewide.

Hannah Burling, president of the League of Women Voters of New Mexico, apologized for the error. "Voters deserve accurate, reliable information when making decisions about their representation, and we take that responsibility seriously," Burling said. "We sincerely apologize to Mr. Marker and Mr. Vasquez for this error."