Lujan Leads Marker in New Mexico Senate Race

Democrat Ben Ray Lujan holds a commanding early lead over Republican Larry Marker in the midterm Senate contest.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

Lujan Leads Marker in New Mexico Senate Race

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Ben Ray Lujan collected a large majority of votes over Republican Larry Marker in New Mexico's midterm Senate election. The Associated Press called the race shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Why it matters

The result keeps a Democrat in New Mexico's Senate seat and continues Lujan's career in federal office. Lujan's early vote share reflects the count as reported at that point in the evening.

As of 7:30 p.m., Lujan held 69.4% of counted votes, with 55,438 votes to Marker's 24,423. The extraction does not include final totals or the count of outstanding ballots.

The players

Ben Ray Lujan

A New Mexico Democrat who has served in the U.S. House and Senate, first winning his Senate seat in 2020 after succeeding Tom Udall.

Larry Marker

A Republican candidate born in Hobbs who grew up in Roswell and previously ran unsuccessfully for state land commissioner and state senate.

The details

The Associated Press called the Senate race for Lujan shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. Lujan, first elected to the Senate in 2020, succeeded Tom Udall, whom he also followed in his U.S. House seat.

2008: Lujan first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
2020: Lujan first elected to the Senate, defeating Republican Mark Ronchetti.
Tuesday, Nov. 3, after 7 p.m.: AP called the midterm Senate race for Lujan.

Season Trajectory

Lujan's 2020 Senate victory over Mark Ronchetti set the stage for his continued hold on the seat, which this midterm result extends. The race reflects the ongoing contest for New Mexico's federal seats.

New Mexico voters' choice determines who represents the state in the U.S. Senate for the next term. Lujan's continued tenure keeps the state's Senate seat under Democratic control.

The takeaway

Early returns can shift as remaining ballots are counted, so the lead shown at 7:30 p.m. may change. Readers should check final certified results for the official outcome.