Democratic Party of New Mexico

Last updated
Democratic Party of New Mexico
AbbreviationDPNM
Chairwoman Jessica Velasquez
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham
Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales
Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart
House Speaker Javier Martínez
Headquarters300 Central Ave, SE
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Membership (2021)611,357 [1]
Ideology Modern liberalism
National affiliation Democratic Party
Colors  Blue
Seats in the U.S. Senate
2 / 2
Seats in the U.S. House
3 / 3
Seats in the State Senate
27 / 42
Seats in the State House
45 / 70
Justices on the Supreme Court
5 / 5
Election symbol
Democratic Disc.svg
Website
www.nmdemocrats.org

The Democratic Party of New Mexico (DPNM) is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is headquartered in Albuquerque and led by Chair Jessica Velasquez, Vice Chair Manny Crespin, Secretary Isaac Dakota Casados, and Treasurer Rayellen Smith. [2] [3]

Contents

The party has provided 19 of the 31 governors of New Mexico. [4] [5] [6] It is currently the dominant party in the state, controlling all 3 of New Mexico's U.S. House seats, both U.S. Senate seats, both houses of the state legislature, and the governorship. The New Mexico Democratic Party is led by Jessica Velasquez, with other modern prominent figures include Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Attorney General Raúl Torrez.

Historical development

New Mexico Territory elected its first delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1850: Richard Hanson Weightman, a Democrat. At this time, the Democratic Party was socially conservative and many Democrats supported expanding slavery into new Western territories. This pro-slavery position stopped New Mexico's first attempt at a state constitution (which prohibited slavery) from being ratified in 1850, preventing the territory from becoming a state.

In the early 1900s, Democratic politician Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo led a movement in favor of civil rights for Hispanic and Latino Americans and Spanish speakers in New Mexico. He found that most Latinos identified as Republicans, which disturbed Larrazolo because he felt that the Republican political machine in the territory was exploiting its Hispanic voters. When New Mexico Territory was preparing to become a state in 1910, Larrazolo was selected as a delegate to the constitutional convention. He succeeded in making sure that the state's constitution protected and guaranteed the political, civil, and religious rights of those of Spanish and Mexican descent. However, other state Democrats opposed these protections and unsuccessfully attempted to prevent the new constitution from being ratified. After being opposed by his own party, Larrazolo became a Republican and served as a Republican governor and senator from New Mexico. [7]

Like the national Democratic Party, the Democratic Party of New Mexico underwent significant ideological changes throughout the 20th century. Since the growth of social liberalism began in the party, Democrats have found success in New Mexico. Between 1931 and 1951, and again between 1971 and 1987, all executive offices in the state were consistently held by Democrats. With brief exceptions, there have generally been Democratic majorities in both houses of the New Mexico Legislature since 1930. In 1977, the Democratic Women of New Mexico caucus was founded with the purpose of promoting women's voices in the state and national party. This caucus later became a chapter of the National Federation of Democratic Women.

As of 2020, the Democratic Party of New Mexico is made up of county party organizations in all of the state's 33 counties, and is governed by the State Central Committee of DPNM, which meets twice each year to conduct the regular business of the organization and elect its officers. In addition to the New Mexico Federation of Democratic Women, [8] the party includes a Native American Democratic Caucus, a Labor Caucus, a Veterans Caucus, and several other caucuses. There are also standing DPNM committees for dealing with specific ongoing issues, including affirmative action, budget and finance, platforms and resolutions (SPARC), and state rules (SRC), and the Judicial Council.

Ideological and issue stances

The New Mexico Democratic Party stated its ideological stances in its 2014 platform. [9] Economically, the party supports a balanced budget made possible by progressive taxation and promotes fair trade and fair labor practices. Like the national Democratic Party, the DPNM supports environmental protection and emphasizes the importance of natural resources such as land and water. The party believes that every citizen should have the right to health care, education, and Social Security. It also aims to protect tribal sovereignty and make sure all Native Americans are recognized in the state.

Incumbent Democratic officeholders

All of the state's seven executive offices are held by Democrats. Democrats also hold supermajorities in both houses of the New Mexico State Legislature.

Members of Congress

Democrats control both of New Mexico's U.S. Senate seats and all three of New Mexico's seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. Senate

Democrats have controlled both of New Mexico's seats in the U.S. Senate since 2008:

U.S. House of Representatives

DistrictMemberPhoto
1st Melanie Stansbury
Melanie Stansbury 117th Congress.jpg
2nd Gabe Vasquez
Rep Gabriel Vasquez Official Portrait.jpg
3rd Teresa Leger Fernandez
Teresa Leger Fernandez 117th U.S Congress.jpg

Statewide offices

State legislative leaders

Mayors

Election results

Presidential

New Mexico Democratic Party presidential election results
ElectionPresidential TicketVotesVote %Electoral votesState resultNational result
1912 Woodrow Wilson/Thomas R. Marshall 20,43741.39%
3 / 3
WonWon
1916 Woodrow Wilson/Thomas R. Marshall 33,52750.20%
3 / 3
WonWon
1920 James M. Cox/Franklin D. Roosevelt 46,66844.27%
0 / 3
LostLost
1924 John W. Davis/Charles W. Bryan 48,54243.02%
0 / 3
LostLost
1928 Al Smith/Joseph T. Robinson 48,21140.85%
0 / 3
LostLost
1932 Franklin D. Roosevelt/John N. Garner 95,08962.72%
3 / 3
WonWon
1936 Franklin D. Roosevelt/John N. Garner 106,03762.69%
3 / 3
WonWon
1940 Franklin D. Roosevelt/Henry A. Wallace 103,69956.59%
3 / 3
WonWon
1944 Franklin D. Roosevelt/Harry S. Truman 81,38953.47%
4 / 4
WonWon
1948 Harry S. Truman/Alben W. Barkley 105,46456.38%
4 / 4
WonWon
1952 Adlai Stevenson/John Sparkman 105,66144.28%
0 / 4
LostLost
1956 Adlai Stevenson/Estes Kefauver 106,09841.78%
0 / 4
LostLost
1960 John F. Kennedy/Lyndon B. Johnson 156,02750.15%
4 / 4
WonWon
1964 Lyndon B. Johnson/Hubert Humphrey 194,01759.22%
4 / 4
WonWon
1968 Hubert Humphrey/Edmund Muskie 130,08139.75%
0 / 4
LostLost
1972 George McGovern/Sargent Shriver 141,08436.56%
0 / 4
LostLost
1976 Jimmy Carter/Walter Mondale 201,14848.28%
0 / 4
LostWon
1980 Jimmy Carter/Walter Mondale 167,82636.78%
0 / 4
LostLost
1984 Walter Mondale/Geraldine Ferraro 201,76939.23%
0 / 5
LostLost
1988 Michael Dukakis/Lloyd Bentsen 244,49746.90%
0 / 5
LostLost
1992 Bill Clinton/Al Gore 261,61745.90%
5 / 5
WonWon
1996 Bill Clinton/Al Gore 273,49549.18%
5 / 5
WonWon
2000 Al Gore/Joe Lieberman 286,78347.9%
5 / 5
WonLost
2004 John Kerry/John Edwards 370,94249.05%
0 / 5
LostLost
2008 Barack Obama/Joe Biden 472,42256.91%
5 / 5
WonWon
2012 Barack Obama/Joe Biden 415,33552.99%
5 / 5
WonWon
2016 Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine 385,23448.26%
5 / 5
WonLost
2020 Joe Biden/Kamala Harris 501,61454.29%
5 / 5
WonWon

Gubernatorial

New Mexico Democratic Party gubernatorial election results
ElectionGubernatorial candidateVotesVote %Result
1911 William C. McDonald 31,03651.01%WonGreen check.svg
1916 Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca 32,87549.40%WonGreen check.svg
1918 Felix Garcia22,43347.70%LostRed x.svg
1920 Richard H. Hanna50,75547.80%LostRed x.svg
1922 James F. Hinkle 60,31754.57%WonGreen check.svg
1924 Arthur T. Hannett 56,18348.82%WonGreen check.svg
1926 Arthur T. Hannett 52,52348.15%LostRed x.svg
1928 Robert C. Dow52,55044.30%LostRed x.svg
1930 Arthur Seligman 62,78953.17%WonGreen check.svg
1932 Arthur Seligman 83,61254.82%WonGreen check.svg
1934 Clyde Tingley 78,39051.90%WonGreen check.svg
1936 Clyde Tingley 97,09057.21%WonGreen check.svg
1938 John E. Miles 82,34452.24%WonGreen check.svg
1940 John E. Miles 103,03555.59%WonGreen check.svg
1942 John J. Dempsey 59,25854.55%WonGreen check.svg
1944 John J. Dempsey 76,44351.81%WonGreen check.svg
1946 Thomas J. Mabry 70,05552.70%WonGreen check.svg
1948 Thomas J. Mabry 103,96954.72%WonGreen check.svg
1950 John E. Miles 83,35946.26%LostRed x.svg
1952 Everett Grantham111,03446.23%LostRed x.svg
1954 John F. Simms 110,58357.01%WonGreen check.svg
1956 John F. Simms 120,26347.77%LostRed x.svg
1958 John Burroughs 103,48150.47%WonGreen check.svg
1960 John Burroughs 151,77749.68%LostRed x.svg
1962 Jack M. Campbell 130,93352.98%WonGreen check.svg
1964 Jack M. Campbell 191,49760.21%WonGreen check.svg
1966 Gene Lusk 125,58748.26%LostRed x.svg
1968 Fabian Chavez Jr. 157,23049.29%LostRed x.svg
1970 Bruce King 148,83551.26%WonGreen check.svg
1974 Jerry Apodaca 164,17249.94%WonGreen check.svg
1978 Bruce King 174,63150.53%WonGreen check.svg
1982 Toney Anaya 215,84052.97%WonGreen check.svg
1986 Ray Powell 185,37846.95%LostRed x.svg
1990 Bruce King 224,56454.61%WonGreen check.svg
1994 Bruce King 186,68639.92%LostRed x.svg
1998 Martin Chávez 226,75545.47%LostRed x.svg
2002 Bill Richardson 268,69355.49%WonGreen check.svg
2006 Bill Richardson 384,80668.82%WonGreen check.svg
2010 Diane Denish 280,61446.55%LostRed x.svg
2014 Gary King 219,36242.78%LostRed x.svg
2018 Michelle Lujan Grisham 398,36857.20%WonGreen check.svg
2022 Michelle Lujan Grisham 370,07352.0%WonGreen check.svg

See also

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References

  1. Winger, Richard (28 March 2021). "March 2021 Ballot Access News Print Edition". Ballot Access News. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  2. "Small-business owner Velasquez picked to lead NM Democrats". 27 April 2021.
  3. "DPNM Announces New Statewide Officers at Spring 2021 Meeting". 24 April 2021.
  4. "Bruce King". National Governors Association. November 1, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  5. "Bill Richardson". The Institute of Politics at Harvard University. January 1, 1970. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  6. "Michelle Lujan Grisham -". Archives of Women's Political Communication. January 1, 2019. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  7. Cline, Dorothy I. New Mexico's 1910 Constitution: A 19th Century Product. Santa Fe: The Lightning Tree, 1985.
  8. "New Mexico Federation of Democratic Women". Archived from the original on 2017-11-09. Retrieved 2017-11-10.
  9. "The platform".