List of governors of New Mexico
The following is a list of the Governors of the state of New Mexico (Spanish: Gobernadores de Nuevo México) 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. King holds the record as New Mexico's longest-serving governor, with 12 years of service. William C. McDonald, the first governor, took office on January 6, 1912. The current officeholder is Michelle Lujan Grisham, who took office on January 1, 2019, as the first elected female Democratic 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.
Governors
Governors under U.S. military rule
In 1846 the U.S. Army under Stephen W. Kearny invaded and occupied New Mexico. Military governors at times were assisted by civilian governors.
Military governors were:
Governor | Took office | Left office | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
General Stephen W. Kearny | August 1846 | September 1847 | Military |
2 | ![]() |
Colonel Sterling Price | September 1847 | October 10, 1848 | Military |
3 | Lieutenant Colonel John M. Washington | October 10, 1848 | October 23, 1849 | Military and civilian[1] | |
4 | ![]() |
Colonel John Munroe | October 23, 1849 | March 3, 1851 | Military and civilian[2] |
Civilian governors were:
Governor | Took office | Left office | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Charles Bent | September 1846 | January 19, 1847 | Assassinated in Taos on January 19, 1847.[3] |
2 | ![]() |
Donaciano Vigil | January 19, 1847 | October 11, 1848 | Acting to December 1847.[4] |
3 | ![]() |
Henry Connelly | June 1850 | September 1850 | Elected under the "State" constitution, which was nullified by the Compromise of 1850. Prevented from assuming power by Colonel John Munroe. |
Governors of the Territory of New Mexico
In 1850 New Mexico was organized as a Territory.
Governors of the State of New Mexico
Democratic (20) Republican (12) | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Governor | Term in office | Time served | Party | Term [note 5] |
Previous office | Lieutenant Governor | ||||
1 | ![]() |
William C. McDonald July 25, 1858 – April 11, 1918 (aged 59) |
January 14, 1912 – January 1, 1917 |
4 years, 354 days | Democratic | 1 | New Mexico Cattle Sanitary Board (1905-1911) |
Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca | ||
2 | ||||||||||
3 | ||||||||||
2 | ![]() |
Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca November 1, 1864 – February 18, 1917 (aged 52) |
January 1, 1917 – February 18, 1917 |
48 days | Democratic | 4 | 1st Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico (1912-1917) |
Washington Lindsey | ||
3 | Washington Lindsey December 20, 1862 – April 5, 1926 (aged 63) |
February 18, 1917 – January 1, 1919 |
1 year, 317 days | Republican | 2nd Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico (1917) |
Vacant | ||||
4 | ![]() |
Octaviano Larrazolo December 7, 1859 – April 7, 1930 (aged 70) |
January 1, 1919 – January 1, 1921 |
2 years | Republican | 5 | District Attorney for the Western District of Texas (1890-1894) |
Benjamin F. Pankey | ||
5 | ![]() |
Merritt C. Mechem October 10, 1870 – May 24, 1946 (aged 75) |
January 1, 1921 – January 1, 1923 |
2 years | Republican | 6 | Judge of the Seventh Judicial District (1911-1920) |
William H. Duckworth | ||
6 | ![]() |
James F. Hinkle October 20, 1862 – March 26, 1951 (aged 86) |
January 1, 1923 – January 1, 1925 |
732 days | Democratic | 7 | New Mexico State Senator (1912-1917) |
José A. Baca January 1, 1923 - May 1924 | ||
Vacant | ||||||||||
7 | ![]() |
Arthur T. Hannett February 17, 1884 – March 18, 1966 (aged 82) |
January 1, 1925 – January 1, 1927 |
731 days | Democratic | 8 | State Highway Commission (1923-1924) |
Edward G. Sargent January 1, 1925 - January 1, 1929 | ||
8 | ![]() |
Richard C. Dillon June 24, 1877 – January 5, 1966 (aged 88) |
January 1, 1927 – January 1, 1931 |
1462 days | Republican | 9 | New Mexico State Senator (1924-1926) | |||
Hugh B. Woodward January 1, 1929 - July 1929 | ||||||||||
Vacant | ||||||||||
9 | ![]() |
Arthur Seligman June 14, 1871 – September 25, 1933 (aged 62) |
January 1, 1931 – September 25, 1933 |
999 days | Democratic | 10 | Mayor of Santa Fe | Andrew W. Hockenhull | ||
11 | ||||||||||
10 | ![]() |
Andrew W. Hockenhull January 16, 1877 – June 20, 1974 (aged 97) |
September 25, 1933 – January 1, 1935 |
464 days | Democratic | 8th Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico (1931-1933) |
Vacant | |||
11 | ![]() |
Clyde Tingley January 5, 1881 – December 24, 1960 (aged 79) |
January 1, 1935 – January 1, 1939 |
1462 days | Democratic | 12 | Superintendent of the State Highway Department for the Albuquerque district (1925–1926) |
Louis Cabeza de Baca 1935-1937 | ||
13 | Hiram M. Dow 1937-1939 | |||||||||
12 | ![]() |
John E. Miles July 28, 1884 – October 7, 1971 (aged 87) |
January 1, 1939 – January 1, 1943 |
1462 days | Democratic | 14 | Secretary of the New Mexico State Tax Commission (1925) |
James Murray, Sr. 1939-1941 | ||
15 | Ceferino Quintana 1941-1943 | |||||||||
13 | ![]() |
John J. Dempsey June 22, 1879 – March 11, 1958 (aged 78) |
January 1, 1943 – January 1, 1947 |
1462 days | Democratic | 16 | U.S. Representative for New Mexico's At-large (1935-1941) |
James B. Jones | ||
17 | ||||||||||
14 | ![]() |
Thomas J. Mabry October 17, 1884 – December 23, 1962 (aged 78) |
January 1, 1947 – January 1, 1951 |
1462 days | Democratic | 18 | Chief Justice New Mexico Supreme Court (1939-1946) |
Joseph Montoya | ||
19 | ||||||||||
15 | ![]() |
Edwin L. Mechem July 2, 1912 – November 27, 2002 (aged 90) |
January 1, 1951 – January 1, 1955 |
1462 days | Republican | 20 | New Mexico Representative (1947-1948) |
Tibo J. Chávez | ||
21 | ||||||||||
16 | John F. Simms December 18, 1916 – April 11, 1975 (aged 58) |
January 1, 1955 – January 1, 1957 |
732 days | Democratic | 22 | New Mexico Representative (1947-1949) |
Joseph Montoya January 1, 1957 - April 1957 | |||
17 | ![]() |
Edwin L. Mechem July 2, 1912 – November 27, 2002 (aged 90) |
January 1, 1957 – January 1, 1959 |
731 days | Republican | 23 | 15th Governor of New Mexico (1951-1955) | |||
Vacant | ||||||||||
18 | ![]() |
John Burroughs April 7, 1907 – May 21, 1978 (aged 71) |
January 1, 1959 – January 1, 1961 |
732 days | Democratic | 24 | New Mexico Representative (1957-1959) |
Ed V. Mead | ||
19 | ![]() |
Edwin L. Mechem July 2, 1912 – November 27, 2002 (aged 90) |
January 1, 1961 – November 30, 1962 |
699 days | Republican | 25 | 17th Governor of New Mexico (1957-1959) |
Tom Bolack | ||
20 | Tom Bolack May 18, 1918 – May 20, 1998 (aged 80) |
November 30, 1962 – January 1, 1963 |
33 days | Republican | 18th Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico (1961-1962) |
Vacant | ||||
21 | ![]() |
Jack M. Campbell September 10, 1916 – June 14, 1999 (aged 82) |
January 1, 1963 – January 1, 1967 |
1462 days | Democratic | 26 | Speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives (1960-1962) |
Mack Easley | ||
27 | ||||||||||
22 | ![]() |
David Cargo January 13, 1929 – July 5, 2013 (aged 84) |
January 1, 1967 – January 1, 1971 |
1462 days | Republican | 28 | New Mexico Representative (1963-1967) |
Lee Francis | ||
29 | ||||||||||
23 | ![]() |
Bruce King April 6, 1924 – November 13, 2009 (aged 85) |
January 1, 1971 – January 1, 1975 |
1462 days | Democratic | 30 | Speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives |
Roberto Mondragón | ||
24 | ![]() |
Jerry Apodaca October 3, 1934 |
January 1, 1975 – January 1, 1979 |
1462 days | Democratic | 31 | New Mexico Senator (1966-1974) |
Robert E. Ferguson | ||
25 | ![]() |
Bruce King April 6, 1924 – November 13, 2009 (aged 85) |
January 1, 1979 – January 1, 1983 |
1462 days | Democratic | 32 | 23rd Governor of New Mexico (1971-1975) |
Roberto Mondragón | ||
26 | ![]() |
Toney Anaya April 29, 1941 |
January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1987 |
1462 days | Democratic | 33 | 24th Attorney General of New Mexico (1975-1978) |
Mike Runnels | ||
27 | ![]() |
Garrey Carruthers August 29, 1939 |
January 1, 1987 – January 1, 1991 |
1462 days | Republican | 34 | Asst. Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior (1981-1984) |
Jack L. Stahl | ||
28 | ![]() |
Bruce King April 6, 1924 – November 13, 2009 (aged 85) |
January 1, 1991 – January 1, 1995 |
1462 days | Democratic | 35 | 25th Governor of New Mexico (1979-1983) |
Casey Luna | ||
29 | ![]() |
Gary Johnson January 1, 1953 |
January 1, 1995 – January 1, 2003 |
2923 days | Republican | 36 | None | Walter Dwight Bradley | ||
37 | ||||||||||
30 | ![]() |
Bill Richardson November 15, 1947 |
January 1, 2003 – January 1, 2011 |
2923 days | Democratic | 38 | 9th United States Secretary of Energy (1998-2001) |
Diane Denish | ||
39 | ||||||||||
31 | ![]() |
Susana Martinez July 14, 1959 |
January 1, 2011 – January 1, 2019 |
8 years | Republican | 40 | District Attorney for The 3rd Judicial District of New Mexico (1997-2011) |
John Sanchez | ||
41 | ||||||||||
32 | ![]() |
Michelle Lujan Grisham October 24, 1959 |
January 1, 2019 – Incumbent |
1 year, 229 days | Democratic | 42 | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico's 1st district (2013-2018) |
Howie Morales | ||
Notes
- James Calhoun resigned in 1852 to return to his native state of Georgia.
- 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)).
- Samuel Axtell was suspended by the Secretary of the Interior for misconduct in 1878.
- George Curry resigned in 1910 to be a framer in the New Mexico Constitutional Convention.
- Each term for which a governor is elected is listed here; if multiple governors served in a single term, due to resignations, deaths, and the like, then that term will be shared among those governors. If a governor was elected multiple times, then there will be multiple terms listed for that governor.
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.
Governor | 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 |
Michelle Lujan Grisham | 2019–Present | U.S. Representative, Secretary of Health of New Mexico |
References
- Simmons, Marc (November 25, 2011). "Colonel left little mark as governor: Trail Dust". The New Mexican. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2012.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Clay, Henry; Hay, Melba Porter (March 14, 1991). The Papers of Henry Clay. Volume 10: Candidate, Compromiser, Elder Statesman, January 1, 1844-June 29, 1852. University Press of Kentucky. p. 730. ISBN 978-0-8131-0060-9. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
- Wroth, Wiliam H. (2012). "Bent, Charles". New Mexico State Record Center and Archives. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2012.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Weber, David J. (2012). "Vigil, Donaciano". New Mexico State Record Center and Archives. Archived from the original on April 15, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2012.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- State of New Mexico (July 2012). Kathryn A. Flynn (ed.). 2012 Centennial Blue Book (PDF). Diana J. Duran. Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. p. 210. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2013.