New Mexico Senate Race 2026

Compare candidates running in this New Mexico federal race. Review their positions, voting records, campaign promises, and donor information.

Toby Smith

Party: Other

Larry Marker

Party: Republican

Matt Dodson

Party: Democrat

Ben Ray Luján

Party: Democrat

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New Mexico Senate Race

Election: Nov 3, 2026Updated: Apr 6, 2026
📊Polling
No recent polling data available; Republican general election opponent status remains uncertain pending primary. Sabato's Crystal Ball rates race as Safe Democratic with Luján poised to win another term.
safe d— Sabato

While New Mexico is solidly Democratic, this race offers minimal impact on Senate control as Luján appears poised to win without meaningful Republican opposition.

Toby SmithO
Larry MarkerR
Matt DodsonD
Ben Ray LujánD

Summary

Toby Smith is an enigmatic candidate running under the banner of the 'Jewish/Christian National Party,' a party with no online presence. Smith filed to run as an independent/third-party candidate for the U.S. Senate general election on November 3, 2026. However, his candidacy appears to be either a prank or potentially fraudulent. Smith listed his address on Federal Election Commission documents as 3828 Piermont Drive NE in Albuquerque—the famous house from the television series 'Breaking Bad' where fictional character Walter White lived. Real estate agents at the property confirmed that no 'Toby Smith' is associated with the address in any way. Smith's candidacy was approved for the general election but his legitimacy as a candidate remains highly questionable.

Larry Marker (also known as 'Lead' Marker) is a 62-year-old former oil and gas operator from Roswell, New Mexico, who now works as a building contractor. He describes himself as a 'Christian conservative' aligned with patriot movement ideologies. Marker has run for elected office multiple times without success: he lost a Republican primary for state Senate District 27 in 2024 (finishing third) and ran as an independent/Libertarian write-in candidate for State Commissioner of Public Lands in 2022 (receiving 3,950 votes, less than 1% of ballots cast). In 2026, Marker became the Republican Party's write-in candidate for U.S. Senate after the initial Republican nominee was disqualified and other prospective candidates failed to qualify. He must receive at least 2,351 write-in votes in the June 2 primary to advance to the general election.

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.

Ben Ray Luján was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1972 and was raised in Nambé as the son of a union ironworker and public school employee. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from New Mexico Highlands University in 2007. Before serving in the Senate, Luján worked as director of administrative services and CFO of the New Mexico Cultural Affairs Department. He was elected to the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission in 2004, served in the U.S. House representing New Mexico's 3rd congressional district from 2009 to 2020 (where he became assistant House speaker), and was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020 with 51.73% of the vote, becoming the first Hispanic to represent New Mexico in the Senate in over 40 years. He is also one of only two Head Start graduates to serve in the Senate.

Campaign Promises

No campaign promises listed yet.

Other
  • Reduce government size and power
  • Back Trump policies (but not Trump personally)
  • Restrict abortion rights
Other
  • End corporate influence in politics
  • Fight establishment Democrats
Economy
  • Progressive tax reform
Economy
  • Lower costs and improve affordability
  • Create good-paying jobs
Healthcare
  • Strengthen healthcare access
Environment
  • Protect natural resources and clean energy
Other
  • Deliver for all 33 New Mexico counties

Key Issue Positions

No key issues listed yet.

Government size and regulation
Opposes what he sees as overregulation and government expansion
Has signed onto multiple lawsuits against Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver. Believes strongly in limiting gubernatorial authority and opposes bills he views as expanding government control, including voting rights and abortion access measures.
Abortion and gender-affirming care
Opposes both abortion rights and gender-affirming care
Has sought to block implementation of laws passed by the Legislature related to voting rights protections and abortion services/gender-affirming care access
Presidential alignment
Supports Trump administration policies despite Trump's unpopularity in New Mexico
Identifies with Trump's policy agenda but distances himself from Trump's personality. Has posed for photos with Steve Bannon and Mike Lindell at conservative events.
Campaign finance reform
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
Economic justice
Supports aggressive redistribution through tax policy
Advocates for 92% marginal tax rate on income over $3 million annually
Democratic Party accountability
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
Healthcare and prescription drugs
Supports lowering prescription drug costs, protecting Medicare and Medicaid, and expanding healthcare access
Luján has fought to lower prescription drug costs and protect critical health programs. He was named a 2026 James Beard Foundation Impact Award honoree for his work protecting SNAP and food security programs.
Renewable energy and environment
Strong advocate for clean energy transition and environmental protection
Chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus's Green Economy and Renewable Energy Task Force. Has championed the SOLAR Act and other renewable energy legislation. Supports net-zero carbon emissions goals.
Native American rights and infrastructure
Strong advocate for tribal communities and their needs
Introduced legislation providing relief for PFAS contamination around Air Force bases affecting tribal lands. Championed water accessibility bills for tribal communities and led efforts to advance Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project with $120 million in 2026.
Immigration and voting rights
Opposes restrictive voting measures; critical of Trump administration immigration enforcement
In January 2026, announced opposition to Department of Homeland Security funding bill after federal immigration agents fatally shot Renée Good and Alex Pretti. Spoke against SAVE Act, saying it would disenfranchise women and Native Americans in New Mexico.
Food security and nutrition assistance
Strong defender of SNAP, WIC, and other food assistance programs
In late 2025, worked to protect SNAP and WIC from Trump Administration cuts during federal government shutdown. Introduced Restoring Food Security for American Farmers and Families Act with Senate Democratic Caucus.

Top Donors

No donor data available.

No donor data available.

No donor data available.

Campaign cash on hand
$3,716,253.70Total campaign resources
As of most recent reporting period heading into 2026 race. Luján raised over $3 million heading into election with strong grassroots and financial support.
Senate Fight Fund
Multiple contributionsLeadership PAC
Luján's leadership PAC for supporting other Democratic candidates
Large individual contributions
54.85% of totalIndividual
Majority of funds come from large individual donations
Small individual contributions (under $200)
27.18% of totalSmall donor
Significant grassroots support from small donors
PAC contributions
15.33% of totalPAC
Includes contributions from other candidate committees

Contradictions

Claim: Toby Smith filed to run for U.S. Senate as a legitimate candidate
Contradiction: Smith used a fictional address (the Breaking Bad house where fictional character Walter White lived) on Federal Election Commission documents, suggesting either a prank or fraudulent candidacy. Real estate agents at the property confirmed no one by that name lives there or is associated with the property.
Source: Santa Fe New Mexican, Source New Mexico
Claim: Marker claims he has a chance to win the U.S. Senate seat and says 'I honestly think I can win'
Contradiction: Marker has lost every election he has contested, with his 2022 write-in campaign for land commissioner receiving only 3,950 votes (less than 1% of ballots cast). He is unknown in Albuquerque, the state's most populous city. Trump lost New Mexico in 2020, 2022, and 2024 elections, and Marker's support for Trump policies in a state where Trump remains deeply unpopular represents a significant electoral liability.
Source: Santa Fe New Mexican, New Mexico Political Report
Claim: Marker says he 'will call himself a backer of President Donald Trump's policies, though not a fan of Trump's personality'
Contradiction: This parsing is viewed as problematic by political analysts, as Trump's unpopularity with New Mexico voters transcends personality—he lost the state by 6% in 2024. Marker's alignment with Trump policies in a state where Trump-backed Republican candidates have consistently underperformed suggests this positioning may not resonate with voters beyond committed Republicans.
Source: Santa Fe New Mexican
Claim: Dodson positions himself as a fighter for working families against establishment Democrats
Contradiction: He has run for office six times and lost every race (0-5 in state-level races), including mayoral races, state house, and state senate seats, suggesting limited electoral success or appeal. He was permanently suspended from the state Democratic Party in late 2025 after making allegations about party fund misspending.
Source: Ballotpedia, Source New Mexico

No contradictions documented.

What Opponents Say

No opponent claims documented.

Republican Party leaders (implicit)

Marker was the only Republican who could qualify as a write-in candidate, indicating a weak bench of Republican talent in New Mexico

After the initial Republican candidate was disqualified, Republicans struggled to find any viable alternative. Marker finally qualified as a write-in candidate just before the March 17 deadline.

Incumbent Ben Ray Luján

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

Matt Dodson (Democratic primary opponent)

Luján is failing to fight hard enough for working families and is part of establishment Democrats not delivering on progressive priorities

Dodson, a self-described Democratic Socialist, received only 14% of delegates at the party convention and criticized Luján as part of 'everything wrong with the Democratic Party right now.' Dodson has run unsuccessfully for office multiple times and is 'permanently suspended' from state party.

Endorsements

No endorsements listed.

New Mexico Republican Party leadershiporganization
Progressive Victoryorganization
Gabby Giffordsindividual
James Beard Foundationorganization
Previous endorsements (2020)organization
View Toby Smith's Full Profile →View Larry Marker's Full Profile →View Matt Dodson's Full Profile →View Ben Ray Luján's Full Profile →