SANTA FE — Bob Perls, chairman of the New Mexico Forward Party and a former state representative, has announced a campaign for the U.S. Senate, entering a race against Democratic incumbent Sen. Ben Ray Luján and giving New Mexico voters a candidate from the state’s newest recognized political party.
The announcement comes after Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver’s office confirmed on May 15 that the Forward Party had secured official minor-party status in New Mexico.
Perls’ campaign marks one of the first major statewide tests for the Forward Party in New Mexico, where Democratic candidates have held every statewide executive office since 2019 and continue to dominate much of the state’s political landscape. Party organizers say they are seeking to build an alternative movement centered on electoral reforms and broader political participation rather than aligning with traditional partisan structures.
The New Mexico Forward Party qualified for official recognition after submitting more than 5,500 signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office, exceeding the 3,500-signature threshold required under state law. The designation allows party candidates to seek ballot access in the 2026 election cycle, though individual candidates must still meet additional filing requirements, including a June 25 deadline for minor party declarations.
Perls has frequently described the party’s efforts as an attempt to create more political competition in New Mexico. In prior public comments discussing the Forward Party’s mission, he argued that many elections in the state are decided before voters reach the general election stage because of limited competition and heavily partisan districts. He has also pointed to reforms such as open primaries and ranked-choice voting as potential ways to increase voter participation and encourage broader candidate appeal.
In statements released following the party’s recognition, Perls said the movement aims to move New Mexico “not left, not right, but forward,” language that has become a central message for the organization nationally and in state organizing efforts.
The Forward Party, co-founded by former presidential candidate Andrew Yang and former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, has expanded its ballot-access efforts in multiple states in recent years. In New Mexico, party leaders have said they hope to attract voters dissatisfied with existing political structures and those who identify outside the traditional two-party system.
Luján, who was elected to the Senate in 2020 after serving for more than a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives, is seeking a second full term.
The Santa Fe Democrat entered the race with substantial advantages in fundraising, organization and statewide name recognition. Federal Election Commission filings earlier this year showed Luján with several million dollars in campaign funds available for his reelection effort.
The November 2026 general election could provide an early indication of whether the Forward Party can translate organizational growth and ballot access efforts into statewide electoral support in New Mexico, where third-party candidates have historically faced significant challenges in major races.
