Today, Nov. 4, marks the commencement of the mid-term elections. With candidates for both federal and state positions on the ballot, this election will set the tone of New Mexican and national politics for years to come. For all registered voters, teachers and eligible students alike, here’s a quick-guide to the upcoming choices for the major offices:

U.S. Senate Seat

Tom Udall (D)

Udall, the incumbent candidate, advocates for New Mexican families, a clean energy economy, and affordable and accessible healthcare. He has a consistent history of fighting to help the nation’s veterans, and has led initiatives in campaign finance reform. His experience includes six years as a U.S. senator, ten years as U.S. representative, and eight years as New Mexico Attorney General.

Allen Weh (R)

With 30 years experience as the CEO of CSI Aviation Inc., Weh aims to use his skills as a businessman to focus on “economic improvement for New Mexico and the nation.” He hopes to decrease the role of government in the economy, fight national debt, end Obamacare, increase border security and defense spending, and provide care for veterans. He maintains that campaign finance reform is unnecessary, and is a strong supporter of gun rights.

U.S. Representative Seat for District 1

Michelle Lujan Grisham (D)

The incumbent runner for District 1, Grisham was born in Los Alamos, raised in Santa Fe, and is a graduate of UNM Law School. She has demonstrated her commitment to economic revitalization by cutting middle class and small business taxes, restoring trust in the government, investing in renewable energy, upgrading New Mexico’s infrastructure, and protecting Medicare and Social Security. After being a law attorney defending senior citizens, Grisham became head of the State Agency on Aging. She was later appointed head of the Department of Health. She was elected Bernalillo County Commissioner in 2012, and was first elected U.S. representative in 2012.

Mike Frese (R)

With a PhD in Applied Mathematics, Frese has been a small business owner for many years and currently lives in Corrales. The center of his campaign agenda is ending the overregulation of business, giving more freedom to the market, and decreasing government spending. He stands strongly against Obamacare, and proposes fingerprint-tied ID cards to prevent illegal immigration. He believes strongly in reinforcing the power of the United States on an international scale to be trusted by allies and feared by enemies.

NM Governor

Susana Martinez (R)

The incumbent runner for Governor, Martinez was the first Hispanic female governor ever elected in the United States. She is committed to reducing regulation and taxes for businesses, as demonstrated by her passage of the New Mexico Jobs Package in 2013. Additionally, during her time in office, the state has moved nationally from 38th to 1st in exports. Martinez has been a proponent of teacher evaluations through student testing and teacher observation. Before the 2010 election, she was a District Attorney for 14 years in southern New Mexico.

Gary King (D)

Before being elected Attorney General in 2006, King served in the New Mexico State Legislature for 12 years and worked as a policy adviser in the U.S. Department of Energy for eight years after that. He is a strong advocate for a higher minimum wage and small businesses, and he aims to keep jobs in New Mexico rather than outsourcing them. He hopes to combat crimes against children and battle for early-childhood education. He cares about fighting government corruption, protecting the environment, and establishing clear immigration rights.