KC Counts:
Let me start by just asking you about what you think are the top issues that are facing New Mexicans that you would carry into the Senate with you if elected for another term.
Ben Ray Luján:
Well, KC, all my conversations with constituents throughout New Mexico, they've all shared with me how expensive everything is and how even more expensive things are getting. affordability and this conversation where the president suggests that everything getting more expensive is just the imagination of people across the United States of America. It just shows how disconnected this president is with the cost of fuel today, the cost of food today, the cost of electricity. The increased costs on farmers and ranchers across New Mexico, that's a top of mind for everyone across our state. And it's something I've been fighting to make things more affordable for constituents. And I'll continue to do that if I'm interested by the people of New Mexico and able to return to the United States Senate to continue that work. Health care matters to me. It matters to constituents. As you know, I survived a stroke four years ago, and I know time is not on your side if you have a chronic challenge or something like that gets you a health scare. And under this president, Republicans have eliminated the federal dollars with Medicaid, which will arguably close rural health care clinics across New Mexico as well. And making sure that people have access to quality, affordable health care matters to me, and I'll continue to lead in that space. And then when it comes to elder care, the more constituents I visit with in New Mexico, families like mine, where myself and my siblings, we stay with mom and make sure that she's strong as well, but there aren't many programs out there to support families with home care and elder care. And that's something that I've committed to and I've been working on and working towards. I've worked with colleagues throughout the United States, and I have my team putting together legislative ideas, initiatives, trying to earn support from colleagues across the country to get something like that done. And I'm committed to continue to work on ideas like this, real policies that make a positive difference in people's lives. And anything I can do to protect our land, our air, our water, our way of life in New Mexico is something that's at the top of my list and what I hear from constituents all over. You mentioned CO as well.
KC Counts:
What tools exist in the Senate for you to be able to drive those solutions to those issues you mentioned?
Ben Ray Luján:
Well, in the same way that I've been proud to earn votes from my colleagues to pass legislation to expand protections for families that benefit from the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, you sit down with colleagues, you earn their trust, you understand the challenges that exist, not just in the state that you represent, that I represent, but that the state of the person you may be visiting with represent. And you show the commonality and you build those coalitions and you build momentum to get legislation and past, you share what's happening to your constituents as well as the constituents in different parts of the country where we need to make a positive difference. And so the stroke that I survived, I can speak to healthcare in a way that a lot of my colleagues just don't understand because they didn't have one of those chronic healthcare scares. I can also share what's happening in my family as well, with the care that matters to my mom and to the families that I visit with at church or at the grocery store. And you share those personal stories with folks as well to get the work done.
KC Counts:
Some would say the U.S. Senate, well, New Mexico is among some states that would have outsized representation, right, in the U.S. Senate. Can you say whether you agree with that? And if so, how has it impacted the state of New Mexico, whether positive or negative?
Ben Ray Luján:
As prescribed by the Constitution, every state has two United States senators. And I'm proud to represent the people of New Mexico and make the most positive difference I'm able to make and carry the work that former United States senators Dennis Chavez, Pete Domenici, Jeff Bingamon, that they did to lead in making things better in the state of New Mexico. And as long as I'm able to continue to serve the people of New Mexico, I'll continue to push with everything that I have. I'll work with anyone to make things better. And if someone's going to bully our state or try to make worse in our state, I'm going to stand against them and I'm going to create a coalition to take that idea down if it's bad for people back home.
KC Counts:
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing representatives in the U.S. Senate right now, today? Whether they're institutional, things that you would look at and say, you know, I wish we could do this differently in the Senate. Are there any of those?
Ben Ray Luján:
Look, I think members of the Senate need to spend more time talking to one another and spend time understanding the challenges that exist across our states and across our beautiful country. The rules of the Senate that require senators to phone in objections or to e-mail an objection, as opposed to going to the floor with a talking filibuster or these filibuster rules, they need to be modernized as well. These are rules that were once developed under Jim Crow laws, and they have only been used to create more ill will. Just look at the ugly bill that just passed the United States Senate that Republicans forced through by just changing rules when it mattered to them, as opposed to allowing debate on all pieces of legislation with a simple majority in the United States Senate as well. And so those are some of the challenges that affect the way that the Senate works, or does not work in this case, where things could be made better for constituents across America as well.
KC Counts:
What else is important, do you think, about your campaign, Senator Lujan, to share with voters before I let you go?
Ben Ray Lujan:
Look, I'm very proud to be born and raised in New Mexico. The work that I've committed to do in the state all stems from constituent work. I've been very proud of the work that I've done in my office, working directly with constituents. I think that my office may have more constituent work, if you will, cases than maybe all of the other delegation offices combined. And that's the kind of thing that I learned from folks that have represented the people of New Mexico before, like Manuel Luján, Tom Udall. I think that Manuel probably did it the best. And he created the model that other offices have looked at how they need to make sure that you're trying to make a positive difference in the lives of New Mexicans and small businesses every day. And those are the kind of cases that are probably not in the press. They're probably not being reported by a lot of people. But to that family, that or that small business that that case was made, it makes a big difference in their lives. And that's why that matters so very much to me. And that's why, on the campaign trail, whether we're having the small town halls or roundtables or meeting with constituents, with small house parties, whatever it is, hearing directly from people matters to me, and understanding the challenges that they're going through and how we can make things better. That's the kind of campaign that I have built and that I will continue to run, based on what I'm hearing from people back in New Mexico. It's how I put policy together and ideas together and commitments together. Last thing I would say is that every vote matters. I don't take any election for granted on June 2nd, and we'd encourage people to get out and vote and make sure your voices are heard.
KC Counts:
All right, Senator Ben Ray Lujan, thank you very much for spending this time with us. We appreciate it.
Ben Ray Luján:
Oh, thank you, KC. Thank you for letting me chat with you. My regards to everyone there in the studio, and hopefully we'll get a chance for it into you in person down the way.
