John Block

On Thursday, after Joe Biden accepted the Democrat nomination for president of the United States, KOB 4 ran a fluff piece with Chris Ramirez interviewing Rep. Ben Ray Luján, who is vying for the open U.S. Senate seat being vacated by outgoing Sen. Tom Udall. 

The softball interview never focused on anything other than Luján’s family life and food preferences, both of which he touts on his television commercials, as well as his social media feeds.

The interview featured Luján making “mini enchiladas” and calabacitas while being asked questions by Ramirez. 

Not focusing on policy or any other kind of serious indicator New Mexicans may need to decide who to vote for, instead, Ramirez lauded Luján, wondering about where the congressman eats while in Washington and other questions. 

Luján disclosed that he eats at Subway while in Washington, explaining, “So in D.C., there is a Subway sandwich shop three blocks from where I am,” he said. ” I eat a lot of Subway sandwiches when I’m out there.” 

Lujan was then asked “How do you center yourself?  How do you regroup, get your mind back after you’ve had one of those days, stressful, maybe even a combative day?” He naturally pivoted right back to food, saying, “So, if I’m here, if I’m home, it’s this. If I’m cooking, even by myself, I’ll make a mess in the kitchen. Like what we did here, it will look like that even if I’m just cooking for myself. I’ll destroy the kitchen.”

“Who do you go to when you need to just be yourself and be able to think out loud?  Who’s that person for you,” asked Ramirez.

Lujan answered, “If I’m having one of those days, where it’s not that I have to pick up the phone to call a friend to chat about something necessarily, but it’s to go to work with mom in her garden, pulling weeds, just sitting on her porch is calming.” 

But a telling question he was asked, probably the most hard-ball question in the interview, was “How is it that you keep yourself grounded so that you don’t start believing you’re more important than the people who you represent?” 

“When I come home, none of this is going to take care [of] itself, right?  Mom always has a list. If you look in the garage, you’ll see two lawnmowers, the shovels and hoes and everything,” Luján responded. Ramirez then continued lauding Luján, saying, “I’ve always gotten the sense that you have these incredible family values.” 

But other than learning that Luján likes to pick weeds in his mother’s garden and “destroy the kitchen” making himself meals, New Mexico voters are likely not going to come away learning much about the congressman who is running to be New Mexico’s next U.S. Senator. We already know he likes making food and eating, but what does he do to help New Mexicans. Many would say “not much.” During his 12 years in Congress, Luján has not passed a single bill with his name on it, and now he asks for a promotion to the Senate. 

After KOB posted the story, Luján shared it on social media, writing, “Growing up in Nambé, food was what brought my family together — and today, it still keeps me centered. I got together with @KOB4 to cook up a big plate of enchiladas and calabacitas and talk about the values that drive me forward.”

KOB 4 says they will air an interview with Republican Mark Ronchetti after President Trump accepts the Republican nomination for president. Luján has refused requestions to be in all but one televised debate with Ronchetti.

Here are some of the most recent posts Luján has made regarding his food preferences. It appears he has done more eating than working while in office.

There are many more posts like the above.