Democratic Party of New Mexico

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Democratic Party of New Mexico
AbbreviationDPNM
ChairpersonJessica Velasquez
GovernorMichelle Lujan Grisham
Lieutenant GovernorHowie Morales
Senate President Pro TemporeMimi Stewart
House SpeakerBrian Egolf
Headquarters300 Central Ave, SE
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Membership (2021)611,357[1]
IdeologySocial liberalism
Modern liberalism
Progressivism
National affiliationDemocratic 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
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] It is currently the dominant party in the state, controlling all of New Mexico's three U.S. House seats, both U.S. Senate seats, both houses of the state legislature, and the governorship.

The party has provided 19 of the 31 governors of New Mexico.[4][5][6] 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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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

U.S. House of Representatives[edit]

District Member Photo
1st Melanie Stansbury
2nd Gabe Vasquez
3rd Teresa Leger Fernandez

Statewide offices[edit]

State legislative leaders[edit]

Election results[edit]

Presidential[edit]

New Mexico Democratic Party presidential election results
Election Presidential Ticket Votes Vote % Electoral votes State result National result
1912 Woodrow Wilson/Thomas R. Marshall 20,437 41.39%
3 / 3
Won Won
1916 Woodrow Wilson/Thomas R. Marshall 33,527 50.20%
3 / 3
Won Won
1920 James M. Cox/Franklin D. Roosevelt 46,668 44.27%
0 / 3
Lost Lost
1924 John W. Davis/Charles W. Bryan 48,542 43.02%
0 / 3
Lost Lost
1928 Al Smith/Joseph T. Robinson 48,211 40.85%
0 / 3
Lost Lost
1932 Franklin D. Roosevelt/John N. Garner 95,089 62.72%
3 / 3
Won Won
1936 Franklin D. Roosevelt/John N. Garner 106,037 62.69%
3 / 3
Won Won
1940 Franklin D. Roosevelt/Henry A. Wallace 103,699 56.59%
3 / 3
Won Won
1944 Franklin D. Roosevelt/Harry S. Truman 81,389 53.47%
4 / 4
Won Won
1948 Harry S. Truman/Alben W. Barkley 105,464 56.38%
4 / 4
Won Won
1952 Adlai Stevenson/John Sparkman 105,661 44.28%
0 / 4
Lost Lost
1956 Adlai Stevenson/Estes Kefauver 106,098 41.78%
0 / 4
Lost Lost
1960 John F. Kennedy/Lyndon B. Johnson 156,027 50.15%
4 / 4
Won Won
1964 Lyndon B. Johnson/Hubert Humphrey 194,017 59.22%
4 / 4
Won Won
1968 Hubert Humphrey/Edmund Muskie 130,081 39.75%
0 / 4
Lost Lost
1972 George McGovern/Sargent Shriver 141,084 36.56%
0 / 4
Lost Lost
1976 Jimmy Carter/Walter Mondale 201,148 48.28%
0 / 4
Lost Won
1980 Jimmy Carter/Walter Mondale 167,826 36.78%
0 / 4
Lost Lost
1984 Walter Mondale/Geraldine Ferraro 201,769 39.23%
0 / 5
Lost Lost
1988 Michael Dukakis/Lloyd Bentsen 244,497 46.90%
0 / 5
Lost Lost
1992 Bill Clinton/Al Gore 261,617 45.90%
5 / 5
Won Won
1996 Bill Clinton/Al Gore 273,495 49.18%
5 / 5
Won Won
2000 Al Gore/Joe Lieberman 286,783 47.9%
5 / 5
Won Lost
2004 John Kerry/John Edwards 370,942 49.05%
0 / 5
Lost Lost
2008 Barack Obama/Joe Biden 472,422 56.91%
5 / 5
Won Won
2012 Barack Obama/Joe Biden 415,335 52.99%
5 / 5
Won Won
2016 Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine 385,234 48.26%
5 / 5
Won Lost
2020 Joe Biden/Kamala Harris 501,614 54.29%
5 / 5
Won Won

Gubernatorial[edit]

New Mexico Democratic Party gubernatorial election results
Election Gubernatorial candidate Votes Vote % Result
1911 William C. McDonald 31,036 51.01% Won Green tickY
1916 Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca 32,875 49.40% Won Green tickY
1918 Felix Garcia 22,433 47.70% Lost Red XN
1920 Richard H. Hanna 50,755 47.80% Lost Red XN
1922 James F. Hinkle 60,317 54.57% Won Green tickY
1924 Arthur T. Hannett 56,183 48.82% Won Green tickY
1926 Arthur T. Hannett 52,523 48.15% Lost Red XN
1928 Robert C. Dow 52,550 44.30% Lost Red XN
1930 Arthur Seligman 62,789 53.17% Won Green tickY
1932 Arthur Seligman 83,612 54.82% Won Green tickY
1934 Clyde Tingley 78,390 51.90% Won Green tickY
1936 Clyde Tingley 97,090 57.21% Won Green tickY
1938 John E. Miles 82,344 52.24% Won Green tickY
1940 John E. Miles 103,035 55.59% Won Green tickY
1942 John J. Dempsey 59,258 54.55% Won Green tickY
1944 John J. Dempsey 76,443 51.81% Won Green tickY
1946 Thomas J. Mabry 70,055 52.70% Won Green tickY
1948 Thomas J. Mabry 103,969 54.72% Won Green tickY
1950 John E. Miles 83,359 46.26% Lost Red XN
1952 Everett Grantham 111,034 46.23% Lost Red XN
1954 John F. Simms 110,583 57.01% Won Green tickY
1956 John F. Simms 120,263 47.77% Lost Red XN
1958 John Burroughs 103,481 50.47% Won Green tickY
1960 John Burroughs 151,777 49.68% Lost Red XN
1962 Jack M. Campbell 130,933 52.98% Won Green tickY
1964 Jack M. Campbell 191,497 60.21% Won Green tickY
1966 Gene Lusk 125,587 48.26% Lost Red XN
1968 Fabian Chavez Jr. 157,230 49.29% Lost Red XN
1970 Bruce King 148,835 51.26% Won Green tickY
1974 Jerry Apodaca 164,172 49.94% Won Green tickY
1978 Bruce King 174,631 50.53% Won Green tickY
1982 Toney Anaya 215,840 52.97% Won Green tickY
1986 Ray Powell 185,378 46.95% Lost Red XN
1990 Bruce King 224,564 54.61% Won Green tickY
1994 Bruce King 186,686 39.92% Lost Red XN
1998 Martin Chávez 226,755 45.47% Lost Red XN
2002 Bill Richardson 268,693 55.49% Won Green tickY
2006 Bill Richardson 384,806 68.82% Won Green tickY
2010 Diane Denish 280,614 46.55% Lost Red XN
2014 Gary King 219,362 42.78% Lost Red XN
2018 Michelle Lujan Grisham 398,368 57.20% Won Green tickY
2022 Michelle Lujan Grisham 370,073 52.0% Won Green tickY

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Winger, Richard. "March 2021 Ballot Access News Print Edition". Ballot Access News. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  2. ^ "Small-business owner Velasquez picked to lead NM Democrats".
  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".

External links[edit]