Scope
Back to results

Ben Ray Luján

U.S. Senator for NM

DemocraticSenate

Positions last updated Oct 12, 2026

In Congress since
2009
Years served
18
Age
54
Current term ends
Jan 3, 2027

Source: Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress (via the public congress-legislators dataset). Photo: official congressional portrait.

Compare with another member

Where their record lies

Between the typical Democratic and typical Republican record

LujánClose to the typical Democratic record. Ben Ray Luján's record sits 11% of the way from the typical Democratic record to the typical Republican record. 258 Democratic and 269 Republican members are shown; 13 of 530 sit in the middle.
Democratic258 members
Middle13 members
Republican269 members

Close to the typical Democratic record

Ben Ray Luján's record sits 11% of the way from the typical Democratic record to the typical Republican record.

Built from 5 topics that divide the parties. It describes a record of votes and statements, not a person. How this is calculated.

Their record by topic

Further from the center means more agreement with the quiz statement

Web chart of Ben Ray Luján’s positions on 8 topics; a larger shape means stronger agreement.Health careTaxes & spendingImmigrationClimate & energyGunsAbortionEducationForeign policy

Each point averages how Ben Ray Luján votes and what they say on that topic. A topic with no data is left out, not drawn as neutral. The sources are in the sections below.

Where they stand

Each topic is a statement from the quiz. "Agree" means their votes or words line up with it.

  • Health care

    “The federal government should guarantee health coverage for every American.”

    Votes: Strongly agree|Says: Strongly agree

  • Taxes & spending

    “Lowering taxes matters more than expanding government services.”

    Votes: Strongly disagree|Says: Neutral or unsure

  • Immigration

    “Border security should be the top priority in immigration policy.”

    Votes: No data|Says: Neutral or unsure

  • Climate & energy

    “The federal government should require cuts to carbon emissions, even if energy costs rise.”

    Votes: No data|Says: No data

  • Guns

    “Federal law should require background checks on all gun sales, including private sales.”

    Votes: Strongly agree|Says: Strongly agree

  • Abortion

    “Abortion law should be decided by each state, not the federal government.”

    Votes: No data|Says: Disagree

  • Education

    “Public school funding should follow students to the school their family chooses, including private schools.”

    Votes: Neutral or unsure|Says: Neutral or unsure

  • Foreign policy

    “The U.S. should keep providing military aid to its allies abroad.”

    Votes: No data|Says: Neutral or unsure

Votes on key bills

The final vote on each bill Scope tracks (not every vote they have cast). Newest first.

Source: House Clerk and Senate roll-call records via Congress.gov. For every vote they have cast, see GovTrack.

Words versus votes

Pro preview · free for now

No topic where votes and statements point in opposite directions (4 topics compared).

A difference is a prompt to look closer, not proof of anything. Votes come from a short list of tracked bills; statements come from speeches, press releases and bills they put their name on. See the evidence for each topic. On 1 more topic one side is neutral, so there is nothing to contrast.

Campaign money

$5.6 million raised in the 2025-2026 cycle

For the 2025-2026 election cycle, through Jun 30, 2026. Who funds a campaign can shape who a member listens to, though it does not decide how they vote.

Raised
$5.6 million
Spent
$2.4 million
Cash on hand
$0

Where the money came from

  • Small donors (under $200 each)21%
  • Larger individual donors31%
  • Political action committees (PACs)31%
  • Other17%

Source: Federal Election Commission filings · see top donors on OpenSecrets.

What they work on

35 bills written, 261 signed onto. Top topic: Health

In the current Congress they have written 35 bills and signed on to 261 more. A bill someone writes shows what they want to change.

Topics of the bills they wrote

  • Health13
  • Taxation5
  • Immigration4
  • Education3
  • Energy3

Most recent bills they wrote

  • S. 5321: HCBS Access Act (Aug 6, 2026)
  • S. 5248: Early Childhood Educator Professional Improvement Act of 2026 (Aug 5, 2026)
  • S. 5260: Stroke Act (Aug 5, 2026)
  • S. 5177: New Mexico Rural Veteran Health Care Access Act (Jul 30, 2026)
  • S. 5162: Strengthening Taxpayer Advocacy Act (Jul 29, 2026)

Source: Sponsorship records from Congress.gov; each bill links to its page there.

Committees

6 committees: Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation...

Committees study and rewrite bills before the full chamber votes.

Source: Committee rosters from the congress-legislators dataset (built from the House and Senate committee pages, as of 2026-10-12). Each committee name links to its official page.

Career in Congress

2009 to present
  • 2009 to 2021U.S. House, NM, district 3Democrat
  • 2021 to presentU.S. Senate, NMDemocrat

Source: Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress

Contact and learn more

Office phone, website, message form and where to read more

Contact their office

Read more about them

Source: Contact details from the member's official pages, via the congress-legislators dataset. Outside sites are not run by Scope.

The evidence, topic by topic

Every position links to the votes, quotes and bills it was built from

Health care

How they vote

Strongly agree (+2)

Calculated from 2 recorded vote(s) using the public issue-to-bill list.

Verified · Last updated Oct 12, 2026

Roll call on American Health Care Act of 2017Roll call on bill

Votes behind Luján, Ben Ray's position on Health care

A position is built from many pieces of evidence. Each one is listed here, strongest first. Open any to see its source, how it counted, and how it was produced.

What they say

Strongly agree (+2)

Based on 8 cosponsored bills related to this issue.

Verified · Last updated Oct 8, 2026

cosponsored bill: S 5037: MediKids Actcosponsored bill: S 46: Health Care Affordability Act of 2025cosponsored bill: S 2073: State Public Option Actcosponsored bill: S 1506: Medicare for All Actcosponsored bill: S 2556: Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act

Statements behind Luján, Ben Ray's position on Health care

A position is built from many pieces of evidence. Each one is listed here, strongest first. Open any to see its source, how it counted, and how it was produced.

Taxes & spending

How they vote

Strongly disagree (-2)

Calculated from 1 recorded vote(s) using the public issue-to-bill list.

Verified · Last updated Oct 12, 2026

Roll call on An act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.

Votes behind Luján, Ben Ray's position on Taxes & spending

A position is built from many pieces of evidence. Each one is listed here, strongest first. Open any to see its source, how it counted, and how it was produced.

What they say

Neutral or unsure (0)

Based on 2 cosponsored bills related to this issue.

Verified · Last updated Oct 8, 2026

cosponsored bill: S 343: Keep Our PACT Actcosponsored bill: S 1372: Tax Cut for Workers Act of 2025

Statements behind Luján, Ben Ray's position on Taxes & spending

A position is built from many pieces of evidence. Each one is listed here, strongest first. Open any to see its source, how it counted, and how it was produced.

Immigration

How they vote

No data

What they say

Neutral or unsure (0)

Based on 1 cosponsored bill related to this issue.

Verified · Last updated Oct 8, 2026

cosponsored bill: S 398: NO BAN Act

Statements behind Luján, Ben Ray's position on Immigration

A position is built from many pieces of evidence. Each one is listed here, strongest first. Open any to see its source, how it counted, and how it was produced.

Climate & energy

How they vote

No data

What they say

No data

Guns

How they vote

Strongly agree (+2)

Calculated from 1 recorded vote(s) using the public issue-to-bill list.

Verified · Last updated Oct 12, 2026

Roll call on Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019

Votes behind Luján, Ben Ray's position on Guns

A position is built from many pieces of evidence. Each one is listed here, strongest first. Open any to see its source, how it counted, and how it was produced.

What they say

Strongly agree (+2)

Based on 3 cosponsored bills related to this issue.

Verified · Last updated Oct 8, 2026

cosponsored bill: S 726: Ethan's Lawcosponsored bill: S 3214: Background Check Expansion Actcosponsored bill: SCONRES 25: A concurrent resolution recognizing the 15th anniversary of the January 8, 2011, Tucson, Arizona, shooting and honoring the survivors and victims, including former Congre

Statements behind Luján, Ben Ray's position on Guns

A position is built from many pieces of evidence. Each one is listed here, strongest first. Open any to see its source, how it counted, and how it was produced.

Abortion

How they vote

No data

What they say

Disagree (-1)

Based on 3 cosponsored bills related to this issue.

Verified · Last updated Oct 8, 2026

cosponsored bill: S 2150: Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025cosponsored bill: S 4701: Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act of 2026cosponsored bill: S 4879: Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act

Statements behind Luján, Ben Ray's position on Abortion

A position is built from many pieces of evidence. Each one is listed here, strongest first. Open any to see its source, how it counted, and how it was produced.

Education

How they vote

Neutral or unsure (0)

Calculated from 1 recorded vote(s) using the public issue-to-bill list.

Verified · Last updated Oct 12, 2026

Roll call on An act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.

Votes behind Luján, Ben Ray's position on Education

A position is built from many pieces of evidence. Each one is listed here, strongest first. Open any to see its source, how it counted, and how it was produced.

What they say

Neutral or unsure (0)

Based on 1 cosponsored bill related to this issue.

Verified · Last updated Oct 8, 2026

cosponsored bill: S 4297: Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act

Statements behind Luján, Ben Ray's position on Education

A position is built from many pieces of evidence. Each one is listed here, strongest first. Open any to see its source, how it counted, and how it was produced.

Foreign policy

How they vote

No data

What they say

Neutral or unsure (0)

Based on 1 cosponsored bill related to this issue.

Verified · Last updated Oct 8, 2026

cosponsored bill: SRES 51: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States Agency for International Development is essential for advancing the national security interests of the

Statements behind Luján, Ben Ray's position on Foreign policy

A position is built from many pieces of evidence. Each one is listed here, strongest first. Open any to see its source, how it counted, and how it was produced.

Revision history

40 recorded changes
  • Education (vote): 0 to 0Bulk approval: AI bill check reviewed and accepted · Oct 12, 2026
  • Guns (vote): 2 to 2Bulk approval: AI bill check reviewed and accepted · Oct 12, 2026
  • Taxes & spending (vote): -2 to -2Bulk approval: AI bill check reviewed and accepted · Oct 12, 2026
  • Health care (vote): 2 to 2Bulk approval: AI bill check reviewed and accepted · Oct 12, 2026
  • Guns (vote): 2 to 2Status changed: verified to needs_review · Oct 12, 2026
  • Education (vote): created at 0Created · Oct 12, 2026
  • Taxes & spending (vote): -2 to -2Status changed: verified to needs_review · Oct 12, 2026
  • Health care (vote): 2 to 2Status changed: verified to needs_review · Oct 12, 2026
  • Guns (vote): 2 to 2Bulk approval: AI bill check reviewed and accepted · Oct 12, 2026
  • Taxes & spending (vote): -2 to -2Bulk approval: AI bill check reviewed and accepted · Oct 12, 2026
  • Health care (vote): 2 to 2Bulk approval: AI bill check reviewed and accepted · Oct 12, 2026
  • Guns (vote): 2 to 2Status changed: verified to needs_review · Oct 12, 2026
  • Taxes & spending (vote): -2 to -2Status changed: verified to needs_review · Oct 12, 2026
  • Health care (vote): 2 to 2Status changed: verified to needs_review · Oct 12, 2026
  • Abortion (statement): -1 to -1Bulk approval (statements): Spot-checked a sample of the AI's readings · Oct 8, 2026
  • Guns (statement): 2 to 2Bulk approval (statements): Spot-checked a sample of the AI's readings · Oct 8, 2026
  • Foreign policy (statement): 0 to 0Bulk approval (statements): Spot-checked a sample of the AI's readings · Oct 8, 2026
  • Taxes & spending (statement): 0 to 0Bulk approval (statements): Spot-checked a sample of the AI's readings · Oct 8, 2026
  • Immigration (statement): 0 to 0Bulk approval (statements): Spot-checked a sample of the AI's readings · Oct 8, 2026
  • Health care (statement): 2 to 2Bulk approval (statements): Spot-checked a sample of the AI's readings · Oct 8, 2026
  • Education (statement): 0 to 0Bulk approval (statements): Spot-checked a sample of the AI's readings · Oct 8, 2026
  • Immigration (statement): created at 0Created · Oct 8, 2026
  • Abortion (statement): created at -1Created · Oct 8, 2026
  • Foreign policy (statement): created at 0Created · Oct 8, 2026
  • Taxes & spending (statement): created at 0Created · Oct 8, 2026
  • Guns (statement): created at 2Created · Oct 8, 2026
  • Health care (statement): created at 2Created · Oct 8, 2026
  • Education (statement): created at 0Created · Oct 8, 2026
  • Guns (vote): 2 to 2Bulk approval: AI bill check reviewed and accepted · Oct 8, 2026
  • Taxes & spending (vote): -2 to -2Bulk approval: AI bill check reviewed and accepted · Oct 8, 2026
  • Health care (vote): 2 to 2Bulk approval: AI bill check reviewed and accepted · Oct 8, 2026
  • Guns (vote): 2 to 2Status changed: verified to needs_review · Oct 8, 2026
  • Taxes & spending (vote): -2 to -2Status changed: verified to needs_review · Oct 8, 2026
  • Health care (vote): 2 to 2Status changed: verified to needs_review · Oct 8, 2026
  • Guns (vote): 2 to 2Bulk approval: Done · Oct 8, 2026
  • Taxes & spending (vote): -2 to -2Bulk approval: Done · Oct 8, 2026
  • Health care (vote): 2 to 2Bulk approval: Done · Oct 8, 2026
  • Guns (vote): created at 2Created · Oct 7, 2026
  • Taxes & spending (vote): created at -2Created · Oct 7, 2026
  • Health care (vote): created at 2Created · Oct 7, 2026