Assuming Sen. Ben Ray Luján wins the Democratic primary, he will run unopposed next November. Just remarkable.

Source: Sante Fe New Mexican

The New Mexico Secretary of State's Office has finished its qualification review of the federal and statewide candidates hoping to run in the June 2 Democratic and Republican primaries. While there were few changes from what we previously reported — the vast majority of people who filed petitions met the requirements to be on the ballot — some of those changes were significant.

Most notably, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján's Republican opponent Christopher J. Vanden Heuvel did not make the ballot, meaning that at the moment the incumbent senator's only opponent is Matt Dodson, a democratic socialist who is running against him in the Democratic primary.

So, how is that possible? What was the bar to get on the ballot? (via Taos News)

For candidates to get on the June 2 primary election ballot they need petitions signed by at least 2 percent of the “total vote of the candidate’s party … based on the total votes cast for all of the party’s candidates for governor, at the last preceding primary election,” according to the New Mexico Secretary of State. For statewide offices this year, Republicans must collect 2,351 Republican signatures and Democrats need 2,505 party member signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Even with that low bar, Republicans were unable to meet it. Christopher Vanden Leuvel seemed to be the only one interested and could not do it, getting into the race only last month.

Christopher J. Vanden Heuvel is collecting signatures to run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democrat Ben Ray Luján.

“The Republican party didn't have any candidates for attorney general for the state of New Mexico,” he said. They didn't have anybody running for United States Senate from New Mexico. What kind of deal is that? They were just going to let Ben Ray Luján just have another six years,” Vanden Heuvel said when asked what inspired him to run for senate.

🚨Report: Republicans in New Mexico won’t have a candidate for the 2026 general election against Democrat Incumbent Senator Ben Ray Luján

The only candidate who was running was disqualified

This is the first time this has ever happened New Mexico State history pic.twitter.com/WL0Hw6acN6

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