Jeff Bingaman

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Jeff Bingaman
Junior Senator from New Mexico
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 1983 Serving with Pete Domenici
Preceded by	Harrison Schmitt
Born	October 3, 1943 (1943-10-03) (age 64) El Paso, Texas
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Anne Kovacovich Bingaman
Alma mater	Harvard University
Religion	Methodist

Jesse Francis "Jeff" Bingaman Jr. (born October 3, 1943) is the junior U.S. Senator from New Mexico. He has been in the Senate since 1983 and is a member of the Democratic Party. Bingaman was Attorney General of New Mexico from 1978 until his election to the U.S. Senate in 1982, when he defeated Republican incumbent and former astronaut Harrison Schmitt. He was re-elected in 1988, 1994, 2000, and 2006.

[edit] Early life and career

Bingaman was born in El Paso, Texas to Frances Bethia Ball and Jesse Francis Bingaman.^[1] He grew up in Silver City, New Mexico. His father taught at Western New Mexico University and his mother taught in the public schools system. At age 15, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Bingaman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in government from Harvard University in 1965. He then entered Stanford Law School, graduating in 1968.

Bingaman is married to Anne Kovacovich Bingaman; they have one child. He practiced law with his wife in New Mexico before being elected as New Mexico Attorney General in 1978.

[edit] Senate

Bingaman is Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and a member of the Finance Committee; Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; and Joint Committee on the Economy.

Bingaman and his senate colleague Pete Domenici are the longest-serving duo among current Senators, and Bingaman is the most senior junior senator in the current Senate. The next longest are Edward Kennedy and John Kerry of Massachusetts.

Being from a border state, Bingaman has been much involved in the debate over illegal immigration. He believes in increased enforcement of borders to stem the flow of illegal immigrants, and that the U.S. should enact a guest worker program.

His approval rating as of 11-21-2007, as polled by Survey USA is 60%, with 31% disapproving. His approval rating is 2% lower than Pete Domenici's.[1]

On April 28, 2008, Jeff Bingaman endorsed Senator Barack Obama for the 2008 Democratic Presidential Race.

[edit] Committee Assignments

• Committee on Finance
  • Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure (Chairman)
  • Subcommittee on Health Care
  • Subcommittee on International Trade and Global Competitiveness
• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (Chairman)
  • Subcommittee on Energy (Ex-Officio)
  • Subcommittee on National Parks (Ex-Officio)
  • Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests (Ex-Officio)
  • Subcommittee on Water and Power (Ex-Officio)
• Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
  • Subcommittee on Children and Families
  • Subcommittee on Retirement and Aging
• Joint Economic Committee

[edit] 2006 reelection campaign

Main article: New Mexico United States Senate election, 2006

Bingaman faced no opposition in the June 6, 2006 primary. The Republican primary was won by Allen McCulloch, a urologist and former chemical engineer. Bingaman won a landslide re-election, defeating his opponent by a 41.3 point margin.

[edit] Electoral history

• 2006 New Mexico United States Senatorial Election
  • Jeff Bingaman (D) (inc.), 70.6%
  • Allen McCulloch (R), 29.3%
  • Orlin G. Cole, 0.06%

• 2000 New Mexico United States Senatorial Election
  • Jeff Bingaman (D) (inc.), 61.7%
  • Bill Redmond (R), 38.25%
  • Orlin G. Cole, 0.04%

• 1994 New Mexico United States Senatorial Election
  • Jeff Bingaman (D) (inc.), 53.97%
  • Colin R. McMillan (R), 45.99%

• 1988 New Mexico United States Senatorial Election
  • Jeff Bingaman (D) (inc.),63.2%
  • Bill Valentine (R),36.8%

• 1982 New Mexico United States Senatorial Election
  • Jeff Bingaman (D),53.8%
  • Harrison Schmitt (R) (inc.),46.2%

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] External links

Find more about Jeff Bingaman on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Dictionary definitions
	Textbooks
	Quotations
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	Images and media
	News stories
	Learning resources

• United States Senator Jeff Bingaman, U.S. Senate site

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• SourceWatch Congresspedia — Jeff Bingaman profile
• About.com — Jeff Bingaman profile

v • d • e United States Senators from New Mexico Class 1: Catron • Jones • Cutting • Larrazolo • Cutting • Chavez • Mechem • Montoya • Schmitt • Bingaman Class 2: Fall • Bursum • Bratton • Hatch • Anderson • Domenici