Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, Latino Victory Fund launched “Run, Ben Ray, Run” — a website to recruit Assistant Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ben Ray Luján, to run for the United States Senate in New Mexico. The campaign focuses on building grassroots support for a Ben Ray Luján for Senate campaign.
The draft campaign garnered national and local coverage and this is what they’re saying:
- Roll Call: Latino Victory Fund wants to draft Ben Ray Luján for Senate in New Mexico
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KOB 4: Political committee for Latinos backs New Mexico congressman
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WaPost: New Mexico’s open Senate seat gives Hispanics a chance to break through The Latino Victory Fund jumped on Udall’s announcement Monday that he planned to retire at the end of 2020 by declaring that “it’s crucial that the next U.S. senator from New Mexico be Hispanic.” By Wednesday afternoon the PAC devoted to increasing Hispanic elected officials launched a website trying to draft Luján into the Senate race, citing the turbulent era of President Trump and the battles over his demand for a wall across the Southwest border. “We cannot be overlooked; we cannot be taken for granted,” Melissa Mark-Viverito, interim president of Latino Victory Fund, said in an interview Wednesday.
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Roll Call: There are only 4 Latino senators. Will more be joining them after 2020? […] The group is now drafting Assistant House Speaker Ben Ray Luján to run for Senate in New Mexico. The fund launched a similar effort to convince Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro to run for Senate in Texas. “Latino Victory Fund remains committed to increasing Latino representation in the Senate and will continue expanding its draft efforts in Texas and New Mexico,” group spokesman Javier Gamboa said in a statement. “In 2020 we will make history by electing more Latino Democrats to the Senate.”
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The Western [BLOG] Latino Victory Fund wants to draft Ben Ray Luján for Senate in New Mexico
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Santa Fe New Mexican: Balderas may make announcement on Senate bid Meanwhile, the Latino Victory Fund launched RunBenRayRun.com on Wednesday, calling on U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján to get into the race. […] And the Latino Victory Fund’s support Wednesday signaled he would, indeed, bring plenty of money and political heft into the campaign. In launching its campaign to “draft” Luján into the race, the fund noted that New Mexico has not elected a Hispanic senator since the 1970s. Udall’s retirement presents an opportunity to recruit a Latino candidate and increase Latino representation in the Senate, the fund said. And, apparently, the fund has found its candidate. “A prolific fundraiser and the Democratic mastermind behind taking back the House of Representatives as [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee] chairman, Ben Ray Luján is clearly the most prepared and experienced candidate who will ensure that the U.S. Senate seat in New Mexico stays in Democratic hands,” said Melissa Mark-Viveritto, interim president of the political action committee that spent more than $1.5 million in independent expenditures during the 2018 election, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.
ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
.@latinovictoryus has launched a website backing Rep Ben Ray Luján for US Senate. Luján said yesterday that he's seriously looking at running for Tom Udall's seat https://t.co/NWbAEKAI3S #nmpol #congress
— Andrew Oxford (@andrewboxford) March 27, 2019
After Sen. Mark Udall announces his retirement, @latinovictoryus launches effort to draft Rep. Ben Ray Lujan into the 2020 #NMSen race pic.twitter.com/JAbURiboJF
— Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) March 27, 2019
Latino Victory Fund gets behind Ben Ray Lujan in #NMSen, even though at least two at least one other Hispanic candidate – Attorney General Hector Balderas – is still considering running.
(Balderas is expected to make an announcement tomorrow.) https://t.co/FPCBnhSCvC
— Kevin Robillard (@Robillard) March 27, 2019
