Matt Dodson is a 62-year-old Air Force veteran originally from Chadron, Nebraska, who has lived in Farmington, New Mexico for more than 35 years. He holds a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dodson is a self-described Democratic Socialist and business owner who has been active in community organizing. He has run for office multiple times without success, including runs for Farmington mayor (as both an independent and Democrat), New Mexico House seats, and state Senate District 1 races in 2012, 2016, and 2024. He registered over 1,000 people to vote, mostly under age 30. Despite these efforts, Dodson has accumulated an 0-5 record as a candidate. He was 'permanently suspended' from the state Democratic Party in late 2025 after he and another party member, Darla Whitney-Welles, accused the former San Juan County Democratic Party chair of misspending $6,500 in party funds in 2020.
Dodson is a lifelong activist and organizer who has focused on voter registration and grassroots politics for decades. His persistent runs for office in a conservative area of New Mexico (Farmington/San Juan County) despite repeated losses suggest deep commitment to political activism. His complaint about Democratic Party fund misspending and subsequent suspension from the party suggests he is willing to confront party leadership.
Opposes corporate PAC donations and dark money in politics
Dodson does not and will not accept corporate money and advocates for publicly funded elections with spending caps
Voting History: No voting record as he has not held elected office
Supports aggressive redistribution through tax policy
Advocates for 92% marginal tax rate on income over $3 million annually
Voting History: No voting record as he has not held elected office
Critical of establishment Democrats not fighting for working families
Has spent over 15 years fighting establishment Democrats within the party, and was permanently suspended from state party after making misspending allegations
Voting History: No voting record as he has not held elected office
Dodson has never held elected office and therefore has no voting record in government.
Dodson's campaign messaging emphasizes his identity as a democratic socialist and fighter against establishment politics. He positions himself as uncompromising on progressive values like ending corporate donations and implementing dramatic tax increases.
Luján received 86% of delegates at the Democratic pre-primary convention while Dodson received only 14%, far below the 20% threshold needed to automatically qualify for the ballot
At the March 2026 Democratic party convention, Dodson fell short and had to collect additional signatures to remain on the primary ballot