ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico – U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján is heading into his 2026 reelection bid with no Republican challenger on the ballot.
New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office confirmed that Republican aspirant Christopher Vanden Heuvel of Rio Rancho failed to collect the required number of valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. He needed 2,351 signatures.
The Republican contender’s disqualification leaves Luján’s only opponent in the Democratic primary race, fellow Democrat Matt Dodson.
New Mexico has seen Democrats consistently perform strongly across statewide contests in recent election cycles. The New Mexico Political Report, for example, reported that Democratic candidates swept multiple offices across the state in the 2018 general election. The positions won by the Democrats include treasurer, auditor, attorney general, and secretary of state — a demonstration of the party’s dominance even beyond the federal elective positions.
The absence of a Republican challenger in a U.S. Senate general election is the first in modern state history.
A win in the primary against fellow Democrat Matt Dodson would assure Luján of a fresh term in Washington. The senator has been in the office since 2021. Previously, he served in the U.S. House.
This development underscored the Democratic Party’s strong presence in New Mexico politics.