Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico

Lt. Governor of the State of New Mexico
Lista de Vicegobernadores de Nuevo México
Lt. Governor of the State of New Mexico ; Lista de Vicegobernadores de Nuevo México
	Seal of New Mexico
	Incumbent; Howie Morales; since January 1, 2019
Term length	Four years
Formation	1912
First holder	Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca
Website	Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico

The Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico (Spanish: Lista de Vicegobernadores de Nuevo México) is an elected official in the state of New Mexico that ranks just below the Governor of New Mexico. The lieutenant governor is the first person in the order of succession of New Mexico's executive branch, thus serving as governor in the event of the death, resignation, removal, impeachment, absence from the state, or incapacity due to illness of the Governor of New Mexico. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four-year term. This position was first filled by Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca on January 6, 1912, the year that New Mexico became a state.

The current lieutenant governor is Howie Morales, a member of the Democratic Party.

While governor and lieutenant governor are elected on the same ticket in the general election, the offices run separately in primary elections. The last lieutenant governor to succeed the governorship was Tom Bolack, following the resignation of Edwin L. Mechem on November 30, 1962. Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca is the only lieutenant governor to be elected as governor in a later term.

Previously, the New Mexico State Constitution did not allow for the nomination of a replacement for lieutenant governor after the governor's office was succeeded; this is the reason the Governor number is higher than the lieutenant governor. Section 16 of Article VI of the New Mexico State Constitution (added on November 4, 2008) gives the governor the power to nominate a replacement for lieutenant governor upon confirmation of the nominee by a majority of the New Mexico State Senate.

List of lieutenant governors of New Mexico[]

Since admission into the Union, New Mexico has had 27 lieutenant governors, two of whom have served non-consecutive terms.^[1]

Democratic (20) Republican (10)

#	Lt. Governor	Took office	Left office	Party	Governor(s) served with	Years in office
1	Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca	January 6, 1912	January 1, 1917	Democrat	William C. McDonald	5^{[note 1]}
2	Washington E. Lindsey	January 1, 1917	February 18, 1917	Republican	Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca	1 1⁄6^{[note 2]}
vacant		February 18, 1917	January 1, 1919		Washington E. Lindsey
3	Benjamin F. Pankey	January 1, 1919	January 1, 1921	Republican	Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo	2
4	William Duckworth	January 1, 1921	January 1, 1923	Republican	Merritt C. Mechem	2
5		January 1, 1923	May 1924	Democrat	James F. Hinkle	1 1⁄3^{[note 3]}
vacant		May 1924	January 1, 1925		James F. Hinkle
6		January 1, 1925	January 1, 1929	Republican	Arthur T. Hannett	4
6		January 1, 1925	January 1, 1929	Republican	Richard C. Dillon	4
7		January 1, 1929	July 1929	Republican	Richard C. Dillon	1⁄2^{[note 4]}
vacant		July 1929	January 1, 1931		Richard C. Dillon
8	Andrew W. Hockenhull	January 1, 1931	September 25, 1933	Democrat	Arthur Seligman	2 3⁄4^{[note 5]}
vacant		September 25, 1933	January 1, 1935		Andrew W. Hockenhull
9		January 1, 1935	January 1, 1937	Democrat	Clyde Tingley	2
10		January 1, 1937	January 1, 1939	Democrat	Clyde Tingley	2
11		January 1, 1939	January 1, 1941	Democrat	John E. Miles	2
12	Ceferino Quintana	January 1, 1941	January 1, 1943	Democrat	John E. Miles	2
13		January 1, 1943	January 1, 1947	Democrat	John J. Dempsey	4
14	Joseph Montoya	January 1, 1947	January 1, 1951	Democrat	Thomas J. Mabry	4
15	Tibo J. Chávez	January 1, 1951	January 1, 1955	Democrat	Edwin L. Mechem	4
16	Joseph Montoya	January 1, 1955	April 1957	Democrat	John F. Simms	2 1⁄3^{[note 6]}
16	Joseph Montoya	January 1, 1955	April 1957	Democrat	Edwin L. Mechem	2 1⁄3^{[note 6]}
vacant		April 1957	January 1, 1959		Edwin L. Mechem
17	Ed V. Mead	January 1, 1959	January 1, 1961	Democrat	John Burroughs	2
18	Tom Bolack	January 1, 1961	November 30, 1962	Democrat	Edwin L. Mechem	1 5⁄6^{[note 7]}
vacant		November 30, 1962	January 1, 1963		Tom Bolack
19	Mack Easley	January 1, 1963	January 1, 1967	Democrat	Jack M. Campbell	4
20	Lee Francis	January 1, 1967	January 1, 1971	Republican	David Cargo	4
21	Roberto Mondragón	January 1, 1971	January 1, 1975	Democrat	Bruce King	4
22	Robert E. Ferguson	January 1, 1975	January 1, 1979	Democrat	Jerry Apodaca	4
23	Roberto Mondragón	January 1, 1979	January 1, 1983	Democrat	Bruce King	4
24	Mike Runnels	January 1, 1983	January 1, 1987	Democrat	Toney Anaya	4
25	Jack L. Stahl	January 1, 1987	January 1, 1991	Republican	Garrey Carruthers	4
26	Casey Luna	January 1, 1991	January 1, 1995	Democrat	Bruce King	4
27	Walter D. Bradley	January 1, 1995	January 1, 2003	Republican	Gary Johnson	8
28	Diane Denish	January 1, 2003	January 1, 2011	Democrat	Bill Richardson	8^{[note 8]}
29	John Sanchez	January 1, 2011	January 1, 2019	Republican	Susana Martinez	8
30	Howie Morales	January 1, 2019	Incumbent	Democrat	Michelle Lujan Grisham	1

Living former lieutenant governors of New Mexico[]

As of January 2019, five former lieutenant governors of New Mexico were alive. The most recent death of a former lieutenant governor of New Mexico was that of Jack L. Stahl (served 1987–1991) on December 29, 2016.

Lt. Governor	Lt. gubernatorial term	Date of birth
Roberto Mondragón	1971–1975 1979–1983	(1940-07-27) July 27, 1940 (age 81)
Casey Luna	1991–1995	(1931-05-26) May 26, 1931 (age 90)
Walter D. Bradley	1995–2003	(1946-10-30) October 30, 1946 (age 74)
Diane D. Denish	2003–2011	(1949-03-07) March 7, 1949 (age 72)
John A. Sanchez	2011–2019	(1963-01-11) January 11, 1963 (age 58)

Notes[]

^ Since the first state election was in an odd-numbered year (1911), the term lasted five years.
^ Succeeded Governor Ca. de Baca on February 18, 1917 after the Governor's death.
^ Died in office in May 1924.
^ Resigned in July 1929 to accept a U.S. Attorneyship.
^ Succeeded Governor Seligman on September 25, 1933 after the Governor's death.
^ Resigned in April 1957 to serve as U.S. Representative.
^ Succeeded Governor Mechem on November 30, 1962 after the Governor's resignation.
^ First female Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico.

References[]

^ 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. pp. 218–219. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2013-04-03.

[n1-2] Since the first state election was in an odd-numbered year (1911), the term lasted five years.

[n2-3] Succeeded Governor Ca. de Baca on February 18, 1917 after the Governor's death.

[n3-4] Died in office in May 1924.

[n4-5] Resigned in July 1929 to accept a U.S. Attorneyship.

[n5-6] Succeeded Governor Seligman on September 25, 1933 after the Governor's death.

[n6-7] Resigned in April 1957 to serve as U.S. Representative.

[n7-8] Succeeded Governor Mechem on November 30, 1962 after the Governor's resignation.

[n8-9] First female Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico.

[1] 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. pp. 218–219. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2013-04-03.

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Italics indicate next-in-line of succession for states and territories without an official lieutenant governor: 1. Secretary of State 2. President of the Senate 3. Council Chair 4. Acting Political party affiliation Republican: 28 (26 states, 2 territories) Democratic: 27 (24 states, 2 territories, 1 district New Progressive: 1 (1 territory)

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Arizona, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, Wyoming, and Puerto Rico do not have lieutenant governors.

Lt. Governor of the State of New Mexico Lista de Vicegobernadores de Nuevo México
Seal of New Mexico
Incumbent Howie Morales since January 1, 2019
Term length	Four years
Formation	1912
First holder	Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca
Website	Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico

Politics of New Mexico


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