List of Governors of New Mexico

Governor of New Mexico

Great Seal of New Mexico
Incumbent
Susana Martinez
since January 1, 2011
Style The Honorable
Residence New Mexico Governor's Mansion
Term length Four years
Formation January 6, 1912
Deputy John Sanchez
Salary $110,000 [1]
Website [1]
Number of Governors of New Mexico by party affiliation[2]
Party Governors
Democratic 19
Republican 12

The following is a list of the Governors of the state of New Mexico and New Mexico Territory.

Twenty-seven individuals have held the office of governor of New Mexico since the state's admission to the Union in 1912, two of whom—Edwin L. Mechem and Bruce King—served three non-consecutive terms. William C. McDonald, the first governor, took office on January 6, 1912. The current officeholder is Susana Martinez, who took office on January 1, 2011, as the first elected female governor of the state. Governors are limited to two consecutive terms but a former governor is eligible for re-election after an intervening governor's term expires.

Contents

Governors

Governors of the Territory of New Mexico

# Name Took office Left office Party Notes
1 Charles Bent 1846 1847 [3]
2 James S. Calhoun 1851 1852 Whig [4]
3 William Carr Lane 1852 1853 Whig
4 David Meriwether 1853 1855 Democrat
5 Abraham Rencher 1857 1861 Democrat
6 Henry Connelly 1861 1866 Republican [5]
7 Robert Byington Mitchell 1866 1869 Democratic
8 William Anderson Pile 1869 1871 Republican
9 Marsh Giddings 1871 1875 Republican
10 Samuel Beach Axtell 1875 1878 Republican [6]
11 Lew Wallace 1878 1881 Republican
12 Lionel Allen Sheldon 1881 1885 Republican
13 Edmund G. Ross 1885 1889 Democrat
14 L. Bradford Prince 1889 1893 Republican
15 William Taylor Thornton 1893 1897 Democrat
16 Miguel A. Otero 1897 1906 Republican
17 Herbert James Hagerman 1906 1907 Republican
18 George Curry 1907 1910 Republican [7]
19 William J. Mills 1910 1912 Republican

Governors of the State of New Mexico

# Image Name Took office Left office Party Notes
1 William C. McDonald January 6, 1912 January 1, 1917 Democratic
2 Ezequiel C. de Baca January 1, 1917 February 28, 1917 Democratic [8]
3 Washington E. Lindsey February 28, 1917 January 1, 1919 Republican [9]
4 Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo January 1, 1919 January 1, 1921 Republican
5 Merritt C. Mechem January 1, 1921 January 1, 1923 Republican
6 James F. Hinkle January 1, 1923 January 1, 1925 Democratic
7 Arthur T. Hannett January 1, 1925 January 1, 1927 Democratic
8 Richard C. Dillon January 1, 1927 January 1, 1931 Republican
9 Arthur Seligman January 1, 1931 September 25, 1933 Democratic [8]
10 Andrew W. Hockenhull September 25, 1933 January 1, 1935 Democratic [9]
11 Clyde Tingley January 1, 1935 January 1, 1939 Democratic
12 John E. Miles January 1, 1939 January 1, 1943 Democratic
13 John J. Dempsey January 1, 1943 January 1, 1947 Democratic
14 Thomas J. Mabry January 1, 1947 January 1, 1951 Democratic
15 Edwin L. Mechem January 1, 1951 January 1, 1955 Republican
16 John F. Simms January 1, 1955 January 1, 1957 Democratic
17 Edwin L. Mechem January 1, 1957 January 1, 1959 Republican
18 John Burroughs January 1, 1959 January 1, 1961 Democratic
19 Edwin L. Mechem January 1, 1961 November 30, 1962 Republican [10]
20 Tom Bolack November 30, 1962 January 1, 1963 Republican [9]
21 Jack M. Campbell January 1, 1963 January 1, 1967 Democratic
22 David F. Cargo January 1, 1967 January 1, 1971 Republican
23 Bruce King January 1, 1971 January 1, 1975 Democratic
24 Jerry Apodaca January 1, 1975 January 1, 1979 Democratic
25 Bruce King January 1, 1979 January 1, 1983 Democratic
26 Toney Anaya January 1, 1983 January 1, 1987 Democratic
27 Garrey Carruthers January 1, 1987 January 1, 1991 Republican
28 Bruce King January 1, 1991 January 1, 1995 Democratic
29 Gary Johnson January 1, 1995 January 1, 2003 Republican
30 Bill Richardson January 1, 2003 January 1, 2011 Democratic
31 Susana Martinez January 1, 2011 Incumbent Republican [11]

Notes

  1. ^ http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=207914
  2. ^ Table only includes state governors; 26 people have served as governor, two thrice; the table includes these non-consecutive terms as well.
  3. ^ Stephen W. Kearny declared New Mexico a territory in 1846 and installed Charles Bent as Governor. Congress revoked Kearny's declaration in 1847, thus New Mexico had no Governor from 1847 to 1851.
  4. ^ James Calhoun resigned in 1852 to return to his native state of Georgia
  5. ^ The territory broke into two, and then three during Connelly's tenure due to the civil war and administrative problems (see: Arizona Territory and Arizona Territory (CSA))
  6. ^ Samuel Axtell was suspended by the Secretary of the Interior for misconduct in 1878.
  7. ^ George Curry resigned in 1910 to be a framer in the New Mexico Constitutional Convention.
  8. ^ a b Died in office.
  9. ^ a b c As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
  10. ^ Resigned to be appointed to the United States Senate by his successor.
  11. ^ Governor Martinez's first term expires in 2015; she is not yet term limited.

Other high offices held

This is a table of the higher federal offices and other governorships held by governors. All representatives and senators represented New Mexico. * denotes offices that the governor resigned to take.

Name Gubernatorial term Higher offices held
Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo 1919–1921 U.S. Senator
John E. Miles 1939–1943 U.S. Representative
John J. Dempsey 1943–1947 U.S. Representative
Edwin L. Mechem 1951–1955, 1957–1959, 1961–1962 U.S. Senator*
Bill Richardson 2003–2011 U.S. Representative, U.S. Secretary of Energy, Ambassador to the United Nations

Living former governors

As of April 2011, six former governors were alive, the oldest being David F. Cargo (1967–1971, born 1929). The most recent and most recently-serving governor to die was Bruce King (1971–1975, 1979–1983, 1991–1995), who died on November 13, 2009.

Name Gubernatorial term Date of birth
David F. Cargo 1967–1971 January 13, 1929 (1929-01-13) (age 83)
Jerry Apodaca 1975–1979 October 3, 1934 (1934-10-03) (age 77)
Toney Anaya 1983–1987 April 29, 1941 (1941-04-29) (age 70)
Garrey Carruthers 1987–1991 August 29, 1939 (1939-08-29) (age 72)
Gary Johnson 1995–2003 January 1, 1953 (1953-01-01) (age 59)
Bill Richardson 2003–2011 November 15, 1947 (1947-11-15) (age 64)

See also


Chief executives of the United States
President
State governors
(current list)
Territorial executives
Defunct
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