5 Things to Know About Ben Ray Luján, the Next House Democratic Campaign Chief
He went from being a college dropout to three-term congressman.
Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M. listens during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, with the Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives.
AP Photo/Susan WalshThis article is for subscribers only.
House Democrats have tapped a new—and young—leader to take them into the 2016 election cycle: Representative Ben Ray Luján, a 42-year-old from New Mexico who will start his fourth term in office next year.
The newly named chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is the second-in-command of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and has been called a surprise pick. Politico noted that he beat out more prominent lawmakers like Jim Himes of Connecticut, Jared Polis of Colorado and Donna Edwards of Maryland.