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 Territory of New Mexico.

Twenty-eight individuals have held the office of governor of New Mexico since the state's admission to the Union in 1912, two of whomEdwin L. Mechem and Bruce Kingserved 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:

GovernorTook officeLeft officeNotes
1 General Stephen W. Kearny August 18, 1846 September 25, 1846 Military
2 Colonel Sterling Price September 25, 1846 October 11, 1848 Military
3 Lieutenant Colonel John M. Washington October 11, 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:

GovernorTook officeLeft officeNotes
1 Charles Bent September 22, 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.

  Whig (2)     Democratic     Republican (10)

Governor Appointed Left office Party Appointing President Notes
1   James S. Calhoun January 9, 1851 May 6, 1852 Whig   Millard Fillmore [note 1]
2   William Carr Lane July 15, 1852 May 6, 1853 Whig
3   David Meriwether May 6, 1853 August 17, 1857 Democratic   Franklin Pierce
4   Abraham Rencher August 17, 1857 May 24, 1861 Democratic   James Buchanan
5   Henry Connelly May 24, 1861 January 15, 1866 Democratic   Abraham Lincoln [note 2]
6   Robert Byington Mitchell January 15, 1866 May 28, 1869 Democratic   Andrew Johnson
7   William Anderson Pile May 28, 1869 July 27, 1871 Republican   Ulysses S. Grant
8   Marsh Giddings July 27, 1871 June 3, 1875 Republican
  William G. Ritch June 3, 1875 July 30, 1875 Republican Vacant Acting
9   Samuel Beach Axtell July 30, 1875 September 29, 1878 Republican   Ulysses S. Grant [note 3]
10   Lewis Wallace September 29, 1878 March 9, 1881 Republican   Rutherford B. Hayes
11   Lionel Allen Sheldon March 9, 1881 May 4, 1885 Republican   James A. Garfield
12   Edmund G. Ross May 5, 1885 May 14, 1889 Democratic   Grover Cleveland
13   L. Bradford Prince May 15, 1889 April 25, 1893 Republican   Benjamin Harrison
14   William Taylor Thornton April 26, 1893 June 2, 1897 Democratic   Grover Cleveland
15   Miguel Antonio Otero June 2, 1897 January 10, 1906 Republican   William McKinley
16   Herbert James Hagerman January 10, 1906 April 20, 1907 Republican   Theodore Roosevelt
17   George Curry April 20, 1907 March 1, 1910 Republican [note 4]
18   William J. Mills March 1, 1910 January 14, 1912 Republican   William H. Taft
Source[5]

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 district
(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
(1934-10-03) 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
(1941-04-29) 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
(1939-08-29) 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
(1953-01-01) January 1, 1953
    January 1, 1995    

    January 1, 2003    
2923 days Republican 36 None Walter Dwight Bradley
37
30   Bill Richardson
(1947-11-15) November 15, 1947
    January 1, 2003    

    January 1, 2011    
8 years Democratic 38 9th
United States Secretary of Energy
(1998–2001)
  Diane Denish
39
31   Susana Martinez
(1959-07-14) 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
(1959-10-24) October 24, 1959
    January 1, 2019    

    Incumbent    
2 years, 31 days Democratic 42 Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico's 1st district
(2013–2018)
Howie Morales

Notes

  1. James Calhoun resigned in 1852 to return to his native state of Georgia.
  2. 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)).
  3. Samuel Axtell was suspended by the Secretary of the Interior for misconduct in 1878.
  4. George Curry resigned in 1910 to be a framer in the New Mexico Constitutional Convention.
  5. 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.

GovernorGubernatorial termHigher offices held
Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo 19191921 U.S. Senator
John E. Miles 19391943 U.S. Representative
John J. Dempsey 19431947 U.S. Representative
Edwin L. Mechem 19511955
19571959
19611962
U.S. Senator*
Bill Richardson 20032011 U.S. Representative, U.S. Secretary of Energy, Ambassador to the United Nations
Michelle Lujan Grisham 2019present U.S. Representative, Secretary of Health of New Mexico

References

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
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