FROM THE CAMPAIGN MANAGER’S DESK

It’s Day 236 of the campaign, and we’re at an exciting place in the race!

Across New Mexico, volunteers are fanning out to collect nominating signatures to get our campaign on the ballot, and our grassroots momentum is growing by the day thanks to supporters like you!

Here’s a quick look at where things stand:

STATE OF THE RACE:

On October 29, Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver announced that she would be ending her campaign for U.S. Senate and supporting Ben Ray. Ben Ray and Maggie have been friends for a long time, and they look forward to working together on efforts to protect New Mexico’s elections and strengthen our democratic process.

While this news changes the dynamic of the primary election, our commitment to earning every vote remains the same. Ben Ray is excited to spend the next 12 months traveling across New Mexico and meeting voters from every part of our state. If there is an event in your community that you would like our campaign to attend, please email us at [email protected].

ENDORSEMENT UPDATE:

Over the past several weeks, our campaign has been honored to receive endorsements from a number of leaders and organizations who support Ben Ray. Take a look at what they have to say:

SEN. TOM UDALL: "Having served with Ben Ray, it's clear that he will be a strong champion for New Mexico. He will continue the hard work of reforming and strengthening our democracy, ending the reign of dark, secret money in our politics, and protecting our public lands and combatting climate change. I'm looking forward to partnering with him in the future when he is New Mexico's next senator."

SEN. MARTIN HEINRICH: "I look forward to serving with Ben Ray and continuing to have a strong partner in the U.S. Senate to protect and uplift New Mexico’s families. I've seen firsthand how hard Ben Ray works to serve our communities — from advocating for good-paying opportunities for New Mexicans to expanding health care and protecting our public lands."

GOV. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM: “I am proud to endorse my friend, Congressman Ben Ray Luján, for the U.S. Senate. I had the honor of serving in Congress alongside Ben Ray, and he was a valued colleague in the fight to improve health care, protect public lands and invest in our children. He will carry that fight to the Senate, where he will be a champion for all New Mexicans.”

REP. JOHN LEWIS: "Ben Ray knows the importance of getting into good trouble — of standing up for communities who need a champion to ensure they have the health care, education, and the rights they deserve. I am proud to endorse my friend, Ben Ray because I know he'll be a bold leader in the U.S. Senate who will make a real difference for our families."

BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE: "Rep. Luján is a longstanding champion of common-sense and comprehensive gun reform, including universal background checks, which will make all Americans and New Mexico residents safer. The choice is clear for voters in November: we need voices like Rep. Luján's in the U.S. Senate."

CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS: "A progressive champion for people of color, Ben Ray helped elect the most diverse Congress in history that is now legislating on priorities that will help uplift all Americans. We know that with Ben Ray in the Senate, we'll have a partner who champions health care, education, criminal justice, and good-paying jobs."

NEW MEXICO BUILDING TRADES COUNCIL: “It is an honor for our Council to endorse the Congressman in his quest to become our U.S. Senator. We look forward to our continued relationship with him and know his door will always be open to us.”

LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS ACTION FUND: “Representative Luján has been a tireless advocate for New Mexico’s growing renewable energy economy and we know that he will continue to champion a transition to 100% clean energy in the Senate.”

TEAM UPDATE:

HAVE YOU MET THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF TEAM LUJÁN?

Our campaign is proud to welcome Cindy Nava — a longtime immigration activist and DREAMer — to join our team as outreach director. Cindy is a UNM alumna who was the first DACA recipient to become a majority pool analyst for the New Mexico House of Representatives. We are thrilled to have her on board!

In another exciting hire, our campaign is pleased to welcome DeChellie Gray as our new volunteer coordinator. DeChellie previously worked for Deb Haaland’s 2018 campaign as an organizer and communications expert. If you are interested in volunteering with our campaign, DeChellie can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 505-585-3079.

COME JOIN US! Our campaign is seeking fellows to join our team for the Spring 2020 semester. Submit your resume to [email protected] with the subject line “Fellowship” for early consideration.

FIELD UPDATE:

IT’S SIGNATURE SEASON! Our campaign still needs to collect thousands of signatures to appear on the primary ballot. We are counting on volunteers to help meet our signature collection goals, and making a difference is easy. Learn more about collecting signatures and sign up to volunteer.

POLITICAL UPDATE

THE 2019 ELECTIONS AREN’T FINISHED YET! Since 2004, local governments across New Mexico have been permitted to hold municipal runoff elections when no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote. This year, runoff elections will be held on December 10. In Albuquerque, Ben Ray is supporting Ane Romero, an outstanding and dedicated voice for working families in her district. Sign up to volunteer with Ane's campaign!

PROUD TO BE A HERO FOR RETIREES. On November 2, Ben Ray received the “Retiree Hero” award from the New Mexico Alliance for Retired Americans in recognition of his 100% pro-retiree voting record. See more on Facebook.

FUN STUFF

Our People for Ben Facebook Group is the online community for Ben Ray’s grassroots supporters. Join to get a behind-the-scenes look at the campaign and learn about new opportunities to become involved with our team.

PICTURES FROM THE TRAIL: From Halloween fun to meeting precious pups at Paws and Stripes, this last month was full of excitement. Check out a few snapshots from the trail below: