Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) has raised a reported $9.1 million for his reelection campaign, compared with $99,000 for Republican challenger Larry Marker. That gives Luján a roughly 92-to-1 fundraising advantage in a race rated Solid Democratic. Luján's figures run through Sept. 30, while Marker's reportedly extend through Oct. 14.
The cash gap is wider still. As of Sept. 30, Luján reported $3.6 million in cash on hand and no debt, while Marker reported $88 in cash and no debt. Marker ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
The candidates' reported donor profiles differ significantly. Lawyers contributed $330,000 to Luján, followed by CEOs ($162,000), consultants ($125,000) and government relations professionals ($103,000). These categories indicate substantial support from legal, corporate and government relations professionals. Lawyers alone contributed more than 13 times the $25,000 attributed to Marker's four leading occupational categories combined.
Marker's leading occupational categories include oil and gas workers ($13,000), business owners ($4,500), landmen ($4,000) and oil and gas explorers ($3,500), reflecting significant support from the energy industry.
Donors identified as not employed or retired reportedly accounted for 35% of Luján's itemized individual contributions ($1.1 million), compared with 39% of Marker's ($31,000). Contributions from other committees reportedly accounted for 30% of Luján's receipts, compared with 5% of Marker's.
Outside groups have reportedly spent $1,000 in New Mexico's Senate race, with most of that spending supporting Luján. Those expenditures are separate from candidate fundraising totals. While fundraising alone does not determine election outcomes, Marker had less than 1% of Luján's available campaign cash as of Sept. 30, leaving him at a substantial financial disadvantage.
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