To carry out the reforms and economic recovery our country is counting on, Congress will need a strong Democratic majority. Today's 235-199 count in the House of Representatives, from the 2006 election, is a start — but we think it will take more than that.

Even if Barack Obama wins the presidency, the Dems — at least for a couple of Congresses — need numbers to overwhelm the opposition and rebuild the confidence our country has lost in its legislative branch.

Here in New Mexico, the Dems have high hopes, and not unreasonable ones, of winning all three House seats. But most important is holding onto the one they have: the 3rd District, which runs from the Four Corners across the northern part of the state to the eastern border and down past Clovis and Portales, and serves Santa Fe. It also reaches down into the Río Rancho area and covers most of Sandoval County.

A district that diverse is a challenge to representatives and their thin-spread staffs, but Bill Richardson and Tom Udall have met it admirably. We think Ben Ray Luján will continue well in the Richardson-Udall tradition as Udall leaves the district seat hoping to replace Pete Domenici in the Senate.

Son of state House Speaker Ben Luján, Ben Ray emerged from political obscurity four years ago to win our region's seat on New Mexico's Public Regulation Commission.

He was quick to learn the intricately knotted ropes of regulation and corporate guidelines, and by many experts' reckoning has been a good commissioner — keeping consumer interests in mind while allowing utility- and communications-company stockholders a reasonable rate of return.

More important to our conservation-minded part of the district, he came out quickly and courageously against more coal-fired power plants in the Four Corners.

To serve our district well in Congress, he'll have to learn a lot, in very little time, and far more after that.

His good manners and calm demeanor will serve him well, and so will the political and operational know-how he's gained from both his dad and his mom, Carmen, who for years kept the Pojoaque Valley Public Schools office humming.

In the House, he'll need plenty of mentoring — but there's never been a shortage of that on Capitol Hill: Veteran representatives and longtime staffers are a wealth of knowledge and lore, lots of which they're only too happy to share. Oh, and did we mention lobbyists? They certainly know the ins and outs, and will be positively salivating at the chance to do favors for the freshman.

Such tuition carries a high price. Luján should spend the post-election transition period asking his dad and other seasoned pals how to hold his ground against pressure groups who'll want the congressman's vote — perhaps against the interests of the folks back home.

And he should seek Tom Udall's advice: Who's to be trusted among House old-timers? Who's to be avoided? Where to find a Washington-wise staffer or two to work with those he's likely to bring with him from the district?

Adding to his education will be partisan organizations set up for the very purpose of easing rookie representatives into a complicated culture. We're confident that he'll learn his lessons well.

Luján is in a three-candidate race — but unlike the case in 1997, when the Democrat seeking to replace Richardson came overloaded with baggage and lost crucial votes to a third party, Luján has a relatively good record. He also has worked all parts of his party, and has reached out to independents as well: a good beginning to what could be a long career in Congress.