Bruce King
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| Bruce King | |
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| In office 1991 – 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Garrey Carruthers |
| Succeeded by | Gary E. Johnson |
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| In office 1979 – 1983 |
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| Preceded by | Jerry Apodaca |
| Succeeded by | Toney Anaya |
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| In office 1971 – 1975 |
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| Preceded by | David F. Cargo |
| Succeeded by | Jerry Apodaca |
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| Born | April 6, 1924 New Mexico |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Profession | Businessman |
Bruce King (born April 6, 1924, Stanley, New Mexico) was a three term Democratic governor of the state of New Mexico.
King served in the US Army during World War II. After the war, he attended the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
His career in politics began when he was elected to the Santa Fe Board of County Commissioners in 1954. He was re-elected and served as the chairman of the board during his second term. In 1959, he was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives. He served five consecutive terms in the House and during three of his terms he was Speaker of the House.
From 1968 to 1969, King was chairman of the state Democratic Party. In 1969 he was also the president of the State Constitutional Convention.
In 1970, King was elected as governor. He defeated Republican Pete V. Domenici. He served as governor from 1971 to 1975, 1979 to 1983, and 1991 to 1995. King's terms were non-consecutive because the New Mexico constitution did not allow a governor to succeed him or her self prior to 1991. King became the first governor who could succeed himself and ran for re-election in 1994, but was defeated for a fourth term by Republican Gary E. Johnson.
Governor King was severely criticized by writer Roger Morris in The Devil's Butcher Shop: The New Mexico Prison Uprising for his mishandling of the New Mexico State Penitentiary Riot which led to the deaths of 33 inmates, although other estimates are higher. It has been suggested in this work that corruption and brutality tolerated under King's administration was a contributing factor the high level of violence in the riot.
Bruce King is the father of current New Mexico attorney general Gary King.
[edit] Bibliography
- Colvin, Mark (1982). "The 1980 New Mexico Prison Riot." Social Problems 29.
- Hirliman, George (2005). " Lincoln: iuniverse.
- King, Bruce (1998). Cowboy in the Roundhouse: A Political Life. Santa Fe: Sunstone Press.
- Morris, Roger (1983). The Devil's Butcher Shop Albequerque: University of New Mexico Press.
- (1980). "New Report Describes Events Surrounding New Mexico Prison Riot." New York Times. June 8.
| Preceded by David F. Cargo |
Governor of New Mexico 1971-1975 |
Succeeded by Jerry Apodaca |
| Preceded by Jerry Apodaca |
Governor of New Mexico 1979-1983 |
Succeeded by Toney Anaya |
| Preceded by Garrey Carruthers |
Governor of New Mexico 1991-1995 |
Succeeded by Gary E. Johnson |
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