Ben Ray Lujan : Net Worth, Family, Wife, Education, Children, Age, Biography and Political Carrer

Ben Ray Luján is an American politician serving as the junior us senator from New Mexico since 2021. He served because the U.S. representative for brand spanking new Mexicos 3rd district from 2009 to 2021 and therefore the assistant House Democratic leader (officially the "Assistant Speaker") from 2019 to 2021. He served as a member of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission from 2005 to 2008, where he also served as chairman.

Luján was selected as Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) in 2014 and led the Democrats to win a House majority within the 2018 elections. He was the primary Hispanic to serve during this role. In his role as Assistant House Democratic Leader, Luján was the highest-ranking Latino in Congress.

On April 1, 2019, Luján announced his intention to hunt the us Senate seat being vacated by two-term Democratic incumbent Tom Udall within the 2020 election. He defeated Republican Mark Ronchetti within the election on November 3, 2020 and took office on January 3, 2021.

After graduating from Pojoaque Valley highschool , he worked as a blackjack dealer at a Lake Tahoe casino and a Northern New Mexico tribal casino. After his stint as a dealer, he attended the University of latest Mexico and later received a BBA degree from New Mexico Highlands University.[9] Luján has held several public service positions. He was the Deputy treasurer and therefore the Director of Administrative Services and Chief treasurer for the New Mexico Cultural Affairs Department before his election to the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.

Ben Ray Lujan Net Worth

Ben Ray Lujan Net Worth is $ 500 Thousand in 2021.

Ben Ray Lujan Family

Ben Ray Luján was born in Nambé Pueblo, New Mexico, because the last child of Carmen (Ray) and Ben Luján, and has two older sisters and an older brother. His father, Ben Luján, went into politics in 1970 when he was elected to the County Commission. From 1975, he was as a longtime member of the New Mexico House of Representatives, serving as Majority Whip and Speaker of the House. His mother may be a retired administrator with the Pojoaque Valley establishment.

Ben Ray Lujan Wife and Children

Ben Ray Luján has never been married.

Ben Ray Lujan Career and Achievement

Public Regulation Commission

Luján was elected to the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission in November 2004. He represented PRC district 3 which encompasses northeastern, north central and central New Mexico . His served as chairman of the PRC in 2005, 2006 and 2007. His term on the PRC ended at the top of 2008. He helped to extend the Renewable Portfolio Standard in New Mexico that needs utilities to use 20 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2020. Luján also required utilities to diversify their renewable use to incorporate solar, wind and biomass.

Luján joined regulators in California, Oregon, and Washington to sign the Joint Action Framework on global climate change to implement regional solutions to heating.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2008

In 2008, Luján ran to succeed U.S. Representative Tom Udall in New Mexicos 3rd district . Udall gave up the seat to form what would be a successful bid for the us Senate. On June 3, 2008, Luján won the Democratic primary, defeating five other candidates. His closest competitor, developer Don Wiviott, received 26 percent to Lujáns 42 percent.

Luján faced Republican Dan East and independent Carol Miller within the election and won with 57% of the vote to Easts 30% and Millers 13%.

2010

Luján won reelection against Republican nominee Thomas E. Mullins with 56.99% of the vote.

2012

Luján won reelection against Republican nominee Jefferson Byrd with 63.12% of the vote.

2014

Luján won reelection against Byrd again, with 61.52% of the vote.

2016

Luján won reelection against Republican nominee Michael H. Romero with 62.42% of the vote.

2018

Luján won reelection against Republican nominee Jerald Steve McFall with 63.4% of the vote.

Tenure

Luján has been a proponent of health care reform, including a public option. In October 2009, he gave a speech on the House floor calling for a public choice to be included within the House health care bill.

In June 2009, Luján voted for an amendment that might require the us Secretary of Defense to present an idea including an entire exit strategy for Afghanistan by the top of the year. The amendment didnt pass. In September 2009, Luján wrote a letter urging the Obama administration to not increase the amount of troops in Afghanistan. In his letter, he drew on conversations he had with General Stanley A. McChrystal and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

In 2011, Luján was a co-sponsor of Bill H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act.

Energy Policy

According to his campaign website, Luján has been active in environmental regulation. He chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ Green Economy and Renewable Energy Task Force. Luján has initiated several pieces of legislation regarding renewable energy like the SOLAR Act. He co-authored the junior college Energy Training Act of 2009. He also supports gas usage and therefore the New Alternative Transportations to offer Americans Solutions Act of 2009. Luján has high ratings from interest groups like Environment America and therefore the Sierra Club.

Luján serves on the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force. He has introduced legislation to supply relief to communities and businesses impacted by PFAS/PFOA contamination in groundwater around Air Force bases in New Mexico and across the country.

In addition to supporting the Green New Deal, an economic stimulus package that aims to deal with global climate change and economic inequality, Luján has developed legislation to place the us on a path to net-zero carbon emission and address global climate change.

Education Policy

Luján has been supported by the National Education Association. He supported the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and student loan reform. He cosponsored the STEM Education Coordination Act in an attempt to supply more scientists and innovators within the us.

Luján has pressed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to bridge the digital divide to expand opportunities for rural communities. In 2018, he joined FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel on a bus ride where students learned to code during their drive time.

Native American Issues

Luján has supported increased funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Service. He opposed the Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012 and was in favor of preserving sacred Native American ground. Luján worked to make legislation enabling tribes to directly request disaster assistance from the president. Lujáns district contains 15 separate Pueblo tribes also as tribal lands of the Jicarilla Apache Nation and Navajo Nation. In February 2009, Luján introduced a series of 5 water accessibility bills that, along side improving access to water for the various communities within the district, would also give federal funds to Indian tribes. along side Harry Teague (D-NM) and Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ), Luján sponsored an amendment to the House health care bill that might extend the present Indian Health Care system until 2025. Tribal governments were major donors to his 2012 reelection campaign.

Luján has worked with the New Mexico Congressional Delegation to guard the greater Chaco Canyon region from oil and gas drilling and methane emissions. He participated during a Congressional Delegation visit to Chaco Canyon and Santa Fe , New Mexico, in May 2019, to review the consequences of methane emissions on sacred sites.

In infrastructure negotiations with President Trump at the White House, Luján stressed the importance of investing in rural broadband connectivity as a way of addressing cases of missing and murdered indigenous women.

U.S Senate

Elections

2020

On April 1, 2019, Luján announced he was running to succeed retiring Senator Tom Udall within the 2020 election. On June 2, 2020, Luján won the Democratic primary unopposed. He defeated Republican nominee Mark Ronchetti within the election 51.7% to 45.6%.

Tenure

117th Congress (2021–Present)

Luján was sworn into the Senate on January 3, 2021. He was amid the outgoing Senator, Tom Udall.

On Epiphany, 2021, he was participating within the certification of the 2021 us body vote count when Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. He called the attack a "siege" and "a direct attack on our nations democracy." within the wake of the attack, Luján said he would vote to impeach Trump "for inciting an insurrection."

Energy

In February 2021, Luján was one among seven Democratic U.S. Senators to hitch Republicans in blocking a ban of hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as fracking.