Ben Ray Lujan

Ben Ray Luján
Born	Ben Ray Luján Jr. 7 6, 1972
Birthplace	Nambé, New Mexico, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Title	U.S. Senator from New Mexico
Known for	U.S. Senator from New Mexico; former U.S. Representative for New Mexico's 3rd congressional district; former Assistant Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
Education	New Mexico Highlands University (BBA)
Website	[Official Senate website Official site]

Ben Ray Luján Jr. (born June 7, 1972) is an American politician serving as the junior United States Senator from New Mexico since January 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Luján previously represented New Mexico's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2009 to 2021. Born and raised in the small community of Nambé in northern New Mexico, Luján rose from a background rooted in his state's rural Hispanic communities to become one of the most prominent political figures in the American Southwest. Before entering Congress, he served on the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. In the U.S. House, he held several leadership positions, including chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and ultimately Assistant Speaker of the House, the fourth-ranking position in House Democratic leadership. In January 2022, Luján suffered a stroke that temporarily removed him from Senate duties, but he returned to the chamber weeks later. As of 2026, he serves on the Senate Committee on Finance and faces reelection with no Republican challenger on the ballot.

Early Life

Ben Ray Luján Jr. was born on June 7, 1972, in Nambé, an unincorporated community in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, located within the Nambé Pueblo region of northern New Mexico. He is of Hispanic descent and grew up in a family with deep roots in the state's political and cultural life. His father, Ben Ray Luján Sr., served for many years as speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives, making the younger Luján part of a political family well known in New Mexico.

Luján grew up in a rural environment in one of the state's historically Hispanic communities in the upper Rio Grande valley. Northern New Mexico's communities, including Nambé, have maintained strong cultural traditions tied to their Spanish colonial and Pueblo heritage, and Luján's upbringing reflected this cultural milieu. His father's long career in state politics exposed him to government and public service from an early age.

Before entering elected office, Luján worked in a variety of roles. He served as chief financial officer for the Cultural Affairs Department of the state of New Mexico and also worked in the private sector. His early career included work in information technology and management positions. He was also involved in community service and local governance in northern New Mexico prior to his first run for elected office.

Education

Luján attended New Mexico Highlands University, a public university located in Las Vegas, New Mexico, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. New Mexico Highlands University is a Hispanic-serving institution with a historic mission of serving the educational needs of northern New Mexico's communities. Luján also took courses at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

Career

New Mexico Public Regulation Commission

Luján's first elected position was as a member of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC), a state body that regulates public utilities, telecommunications, and insurance companies operating in New Mexico. He served on the PRC before running for Congress, gaining experience in regulatory policy and state-level governance. His tenure on the commission provided him with a policy background in energy, utilities, and consumer protection—issues that would continue to inform his work in the federal legislature.

U.S. House of Representatives (2009–2021)

In 2008, Luján ran for the seat representing New Mexico's 3rd congressional district, which covers a vast area of northern and western New Mexico, including Santa Fe, parts of central New Mexico, and large portions of Native American tribal lands. The district was being vacated by Tom Udall, who was running for the U.S. Senate. Luján won the Democratic primary and the general election, taking office in January 2009.

Luján was reelected to the House five subsequent times, serving a total of six terms. During his time in the House, he focused on issues including broadband access for rural communities, renewable energy development, health care, and the concerns of Native American and Hispanic constituents in his district.

DCCC Chairmanship

In November 2014, Luján was selected by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi to serve as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the campaign arm of House Democrats. He held this position during the 2016 and 2018 election cycles. The 2018 midterm elections proved to be a significant success for House Democrats, who gained 40 seats and recaptured the majority in the House of Representatives. Luján was credited with overseeing an aggressive recruitment strategy that fielded competitive candidates in suburban and traditionally Republican-leaning districts across the country. His leadership of the DCCC raised his national profile within the Democratic Party.

Assistant Speaker of the House

Following the Democrats' return to the House majority after the 2018 elections, Luján was elected by his colleagues to serve as Assistant Speaker of the House in the 116th Congress (2019–2021). This position made him the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House, behind Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn. As Assistant Speaker, Luján played a role in legislative strategy and party messaging. He was the highest-ranking Hispanic member of the House Democratic leadership at the time.

During his House tenure, Luján was an advocate for expanding broadband internet access to underserved rural and tribal communities in New Mexico and across the country. He also championed legislation related to renewable energy, climate change mitigation, and health care access. He sat on several committees, including the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he worked on telecommunications, energy, and health policy.

U.S. Senate (2021–present)

2020 Senate Campaign

In 2019, Luján announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Tom Udall. Luján won the Democratic primary and went on to defeat Republican nominee Mark Ronchetti, a television meteorologist, in the November 2020 general election. His victory maintained the seat in Democratic hands and made Luján the junior senator from New Mexico alongside senior Senator Martin Heinrich.

Stroke and Recovery

On January 27, 2022, Luján suffered a stroke caused by a blood clot in his cerebellum. He was admitted to a hospital and underwent decompressive craniectomy surgery to ease swelling in his brain. The medical emergency temporarily removed him from the Senate at a critical time, as the chamber was evenly divided 50–50 between Democrats and Republicans. His absence raised concerns about the Senate's ability to confirm judicial nominees and advance legislation. However, Luján made a recovery and returned to the Senate in March 2022, approximately four to five weeks after the stroke. His return was met with bipartisan expressions of support from colleagues.

Committee Assignments and Legislative Work

In the Senate, Luján serves on several committees, including the Senate Committee on Finance. He has continued to focus on issues central to New Mexico, including rural broadband access, health care, energy policy, support for Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, and the concerns of Native American communities.

Luján has been an advocate for the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), which provides compensation to individuals who were harmed by radiation exposure from nuclear weapons testing and uranium mining. New Mexico was the site of the first nuclear weapons test, the Trinity test, in 1945, and many communities in the state, particularly in rural and Native American areas, have suffered long-term health consequences from radiation exposure. In February 2026, Luján held a public outreach forum in Las Cruces to raise awareness about expanded compensation available through RECA.

Tariff Legislation and Trade Policy

In his capacity as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Luján has been involved in trade policy debates. In February 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down sweeping tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. Luján issued a statement on the ruling, criticizing the economic impact of the tariffs.

Subsequently, Luján joined Senators Ron Wyden, Ed Markey, Jeanne Shaheen, and 18 other Senate Democrats in introducing legislation that would require the Trump administration to issue refunds—with interest—of tariffs that the Supreme Court had deemed illegal. The legislation also included provisions to prioritize small businesses in the refund process.

Constituent Outreach and Federal Funding

Luján has maintained an active schedule of constituent outreach in New Mexico. In February 2026, he visited El Caldito Soup Kitchen in Las Cruces to learn about the organization's work and to highlight new federal funding directed toward community nutrition and social service programs in the state.

2026 Reelection

Luján is seeking reelection to a second full term in the U.S. Senate in 2026. As of February 2026, no Republican candidate had filed to challenge him, leaving him without a major-party opponent on the general election ballot. New Mexico has trended increasingly Democratic in federal elections in recent cycles, and the absence of a Republican challenger reflects the party's difficulties in fielding competitive candidates in the state's statewide races.

Personal Life

Luján is from Nambé, New Mexico, and has maintained ties to the community throughout his political career. He is of Hispanic heritage, and his family has deep roots in northern New Mexico. His father, Ben Ray Luján Sr., served as speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives for many years before his death. The elder Luján was a prominent figure in New Mexico Democratic politics, and his legacy has been closely associated with his son's career.

In January 2022, Luján suffered a stroke that required emergency brain surgery. The incident drew national attention both for its medical severity and its political implications, given the evenly divided Senate. Luján made a recovery over the following weeks and returned to the Senate in March 2022. He has since spoken publicly about his experience and the importance of stroke awareness and access to emergency medical care, particularly in rural areas where hospitals may be distant.

Luján is Catholic. He is unmarried and has no children, a fact that has occasionally been noted in profiles of the senator but has not been a significant aspect of his public identity.

Recognition

Luján's role as chairman of the DCCC during the 2018 midterm elections, in which Democrats gained 40 House seats, was considered a significant organizational achievement and raised his stature within the national Democratic Party. His election as Assistant Speaker of the House made him one of the highest-ranking Hispanic members of Congress in American history at that time.

As a senator, Luján has received recognition for his advocacy on behalf of communities affected by nuclear weapons testing and uranium mining, particularly through his work on the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. His outreach efforts on RECA in New Mexico have been noted by local media and community organizations.

Luján has also been noted as one of the few members of Congress to have experienced and recovered from a major medical emergency while in office, and his return to the Senate following his 2022 stroke received wide media coverage and bipartisan support from his colleagues.

The Presidential Prayer Team, a nonpartisan organization that encourages prayer for elected officials, has featured Luján as part of its ongoing coverage of U.S. senators.

Legacy

Luján's career represents a continuation of a family tradition of public service in New Mexico. Following in the footsteps of his father, who served as speaker of the state House of Representatives, the younger Luján advanced to the federal level and achieved leadership positions in both chambers of Congress. He is part of a generation of Hispanic political leaders from New Mexico who have achieved prominence at the national level, alongside figures such as Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and former Governor Bill Richardson.

His tenure as DCCC chairman during the 2018 election cycle positioned him as a key figure in the Democratic Party's strategy to regain the House majority. The recruitment and candidate support strategies he employed during that cycle were studied and referenced in subsequent election cycles.

Luján's advocacy for broadband access in rural and tribal communities has been a consistent theme throughout his career, reflecting the infrastructure challenges faced by his constituents in northern and western New Mexico. His work on the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act addresses one of the most significant environmental justice issues in the American Southwest, connecting the legacy of the Manhattan Project and Cold War-era nuclear testing to ongoing health and compensation concerns in affected communities.

His recovery from a stroke in 2022 and return to active Senate duty added a personal dimension to his public profile and drew attention to issues of health care access and stroke awareness, particularly in rural states such as New Mexico where access to emergency medical facilities can be limited.

As of 2026, Luján appears positioned to continue representing New Mexico in the Senate, with no major-party challenger in his reelection race.