Luján, Ben Ray, 1972-

<p>Ben Ray Luján (/luːˈhɑːn/ loo-HAHN; born June 7, 1972) is an American politician serving as the junior United States senator from New Mexico since 2021. He served as the U.S. representative for New Mexico's 3rd congressional district from 2009 to 2021 and the assistant House Democratic leader (officially the "Assistant Speaker") from 2019 to 2021. He served as a member of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission from 2005 to 2008, where he also served as chairman.</p>

<p>Luján was selected as Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) in 2014 and led the Democrats to win a House majority in the 2018 elections. He was the first Hispanic to serve in this role. In his role as Assistant House Democratic Leader, Luján was the highest-ranking Latino in Congress.</p>

<p>On April 1, 2019, Luján announced his intention to seek the United States Senate seat being vacated by two-term Democratic incumbent Tom Udall in the 2020 election. He defeated Republican Mark Ronchetti in the general election on November 3, 2020, and took office on January 3, 2021.</p>

<p>On January 3, 2021, Ben Ray Luján was sworn into office as a U.S. Senator representing New Mexico. He previously served as U.S. Representative for New Mexico’s Third Congressional District and House Assistant Speaker in the 116th Congress.</p>

<p>Senator Luján grew up in Nambé, a small farming community north of Santa Fe, bordered by the Nambé and Pojoaque Pueblos. It was there that he learned New Mexico values, including hard work, dedication, and perseverance, from his family and community.</p>

<p>Since being elected to Congress in 2008, Senator Luján has championed efforts to create good-paying jobs in New Mexico, expand quality health care and protect patients with pre-existing conditions, preserve our natural resources and sacred sites, build a clean energy economy, and uplift the middle-class.</p>

LUJÁN, Ben Ray, a Senator and a Representative from New Mexico; born in Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, N.Mex., June 7, 1972; graduated from Pojoaque Valley High School, Santa Fe, N. Mex., 1990; attended University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.Mex., 1990-1995; B.B.A., New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, N.Mex., 2007; member of the N.Mex. public regulation commission, 2004-2008; chairman, N.Mex. public regulation commission, 2005-2007; N.Mex. deputy state treasurer; director of administrative services, N.Mex. state cultural affairs department; chief financial officer, N.Mex. state cultural affairs department; elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Eleventh and to the five succeeding Congresses (January 3, 2009-January 3, 2021); assistant Speaker (One Hundred Sixteenth Congress); was not a candidate for reelection to the House of Representatives but was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 2020 for the term ending January 3, 2027.