Senator Tom Udall. Biography. Biography. Stance on Issues. Committees. Election Results

Transcription

1 New Mexico

2 Senator Tom Udall Udall and Connecticut Democrat Richard Blumenthal tied for most-liberal senator in National Journal s 2012 rankings. In a nod to his state s rural leanings, however, Udall supports some, but not all, gun control measures backed by other liberals. He is amiable and avoids fierce rhetoric, which lets him work with senators on the other side of the ideological spectrum. He teamed in 2012 with conservative Republican Jon Kyl of Arizona on a measure to study the Energy Department s much-criticized National Nuclear Security Administration and with libertarian Rand Paul of Kentucky in 2011 in calling for a faster troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. A Udall amendment providing tax credits for employers hiring military veterans discharged after 2001 was included in the 2009 economic stimulus bill. He was given a seat on the Appropriations Committee in 2013, a vital position for a state as dependent on federal spending as New Mexico. But Udall has drawn the most attention for his efforts to alter how the Senate conducts its business. Like many senators who come over from the House, he dislikes the frequent use of filibusters to delay or block pending legislation, often resulting in gridlock. Udall is a popular figure in New Mexico, and -- in marked contrast to his cousin -- won reelection easily in Currently: Senator, NM Elected: 2008 Education: Prescott Col., B.A., 1970; Cambridge U., B.L., 1975; U. of NM, J.D., 1977 Religion: Mormon Family: Married (Jill), 1 child Contact: (202) Hart Senate Office Washington, DC Supports bans on high capacity assault guns Opposes military strikes in Syria Supports same-sex marriage Supports Obamacare Senate Committee on Committee on Appropriations Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Senate Committee on Rules and Administration 2014 General Tom Udall (D) Votes: 286,409 Percent: 56.0% Allen Weh (R) Votes: 225,706 Percent: 44.0% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016.

3 Senator Martin Heinrich Democratic Rep. Martin Heinrich became New Mexico s junior senator after winning the seat of retiring five-term Sen. Jeff Bingaman in He defeated former Republican Rep. Heather Wilson by portraying himself as a younger version of Bingaman: a deliberate, if unflashy, thinker interested in science and devoted to protecting the federal government s large New Mexico presence. Heinrich (HYN-rikh) was born in Fallon, Nev., the son of an electrician and a factory worker. His parents moved to Missouri when he was a child, and he earned a bachelor s degree in engineering from the University of Missouri. He moved to New Mexico in 1995 to found a political consulting business and serve as executive director of The Cottonwood Gulch Foundation, which runs adventure programs in the Southwest. In 2003, he was elected to the Albuquerque City Council. In 2008, Heinrich won the seat of New Mexico s first district in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his two terms in the House, Heinrich advocated expanding energy production through a broad range of sources. He also sought to avoid being a down-the-line Democrat. He supported many of President Barack Obama s major initiatives, including the 2010 health care overhaul, but he endorsed spending cuts in some appropriations bills. Like many Western lawmakers, he backed gun owners rights. Bingaman announced his retirement in 2011, and Heinrich won his seat in 2012 against Republican Heather Wilson, 51% to 45%. Currently: Senator, NM Elected: 2012 Education: U. of MO, B.S.E., 1995 Religion: Lutheran Family: Married (Julie), 2 children Contact: (202) Hart Senate Office Washington, DC Supports Obamacare expansion Supports unrestricted abortion rights Supports same-sex marriage Opposes expansion of free trade Opposes privatization of social security Supports green energy initiatives Supports higher taxes on the wealthy Senate Committee on Intelligence Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Committee on Armed Services Joint Committee on Economics 2012 General Martin Heinrich (D) Votes: 395,717 Percent: 51.0% Heather Wilson (R) Votes: 351,260 Percent: 45.3% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016; Ballotpedia, 2016.

4 Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham Michelle Lujan Grisham was born in Los Alamos, the daughter of a dentist. Her uncle is Manuel Lujan Jr., a Republican politician from New Mexico who served in the US House of Representatives for twenty years and as the Secretary of the Interior from 1989 to Lujan Grisham s cousin, Ben Ray Lujan, represents New Mexico s 3rd congressional district in the US House. Lujan Grisham earned her bachelor and law degrees from the University of New Mexico. After graduating, she was named the director of the State Bar of New Mexico s Lawyer Referral for the Elderly Program helping provide basic services to seniors. In 1991, Grisham was appointed to be the director of the New Mexico State Agency on Aging. She served as director for 13 years in both Republican and Democratic administrations. After her husband s death in 2004, Grisham was appointed New Mexico s Secretary of Health. During her tenure, Grisham emphasized precautionary principles to combat medical mistakes. In 2008, Grisham unsuccessfully ran for New Mexico s 1st congressional district. Two years later she became the commissioner of Bernallio County. In 2012, Grisham ran again for New Mexico s 1st congressional district. After winning a difficult primary contest, Grisham easily won over Republican opponent Janice Jones 59% to 41%. In the House of Representatives, Grisham has been a consistent advocate for protecting the elderly and supporting social safety net programs like Medicare and Social Security. Grisham has advocated for CARE Corps to support family caregivers and help meet the growing demand for assisting disabled and senior citizens. Grisham is the Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Lujan Grisham will run for Governor of New Mexico in Currently: Representative, NM-01 Elected: 2012 Education: U. of NM, B.A., 1981, J.D., 1987 Religion: Roman Catholic Family: Widow, 2 children Contact: (202) Cannon House Office Washington, DC Strongly supports women s right to choose to have an abortion Strongly supports maintaining social safety net programs like Medicare and Social Security Supports balancing budget through higher taxes on wealthy and reducing public spending Supports the Affordable Care Act Strongly supports constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United decision House Committee on the Budget House Committee on Agriculture 2016 General Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) Votes: 181,088 Percent: 65.1% Richard Priem (R) Votes: 96,879 Percent: 34.9% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016; Ballotpedia, Michelle Lujan Grisham, June 13, 2016.

5 Congressman Steve Pearce Republican Steve Pearce first won the 3rd District seat in 2002, abandoned it for an unsuccessful Senate race in 2008, and then reclaimed it two years later in the Republican landslide. He has moved rightward since then, frequently criticizing Democrats as a member of the Financial Services Committee. Pearce grew up in Hobbs, near the Texas line, and graduated from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. He served in the Air Force and flew missions during the Vietnam War. He returned to Hobbs and started an oil-field service company. In 1996, he was elected to the state House. In the House, Pearce usually votes with conservatives, though in his earlier House tenure he was more moderate on social issues. On Financial Services, Pearce joined in GOP attacks on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau created under the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial services overhaul. As chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, he and Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT), urged Speaker John Boehner of Ohio in November 2012 to consider selling off or transferring public lands as a way to reduce the deficit. During Pearce s earlier stint in the House, he was the chairman of the National Parks subcommittee and made parks accessibility a priority. He proposed giving states and counties broad authority over rights of way on federal land, but made little progress on the measure before Democrats won majority control in Currently: Representative, NM-02 Elected: 2010 Education: NM St. U., B.B.A., 1970; Eastern NM U., M.B.A., 1991 Religion: Baptist Family: Married (Cynthia), 1 child Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Washington, DC Favors pathway to citizenship Strongly opposes same-sex marriage Strongly favors vouchers for school choice Favors free trade Strongly opposes higher taxes on the wealthy Strongly favors military expansion Strongly favors privatization of Social Security House Committee on Financial Services House Committee on Natural Resources Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia General Steve Pearce (R) Votes: 143,515 Percent: 63.0% Merrie Lee Soules (D) Votes: 85,232 Percent: 37.0%

6 Congressman Ben Ray Luján A seventh-generation New Mexican, Luján is the son of Ben Luján, a former state House speaker and legendary figure in state politics who died in The younger Luján has sometimes been criticized for ascending on the strength of his family connections, and he has sought to distinguish himself by focusing on complex topics important to the state, especially energy and technology. He joined the Congressional Progressive Caucus, but unlike some of its members, has steered clear of partisan rhetoric and concentrated on state-specific matters. In the Hispanic Caucus, he has been close to California s Xavier Becerra, a fellow policy wonk who is part of the House Democratic leadership. Luján combined his caucus and whip duties in early 2013 by joining the effort to pass comprehensive immigration reform. He secured a seat on the Energy and Commerce Committee in 2013, giving him a more prominent perch from which to work on two of his pet causes: alternative energy and Los Alamos National Laboratory s non-nuclear weapons scientific research. He would like to see more federal funding move directly to the labs instead of through the Energy Department s National Nuclear Security Administration. He unsuccessfully tried to amend the fiscal 2013 energy and water spending bill to redirect $21.9 million from the NNSA administrator s office to defense cleanup work at the national laboratories. Currently: Representative, NM-03 Elected: 2008 Education: NM Highlands U., B.B.A., 2007 Religion: Roman Catholic Family: Single Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Washington, DC Supports immigration reform Opposes the absolute right to gun ownership Supports same-sex marriage Opposes vouchers for school choice Supports Obamacare Supports clean energy Opposes privatizing social security House Committee on Energy and Commerce 2016 General Ben Ray Luján (D) Votes: 170,612 Percent: 62.4% Michael Romero (R) Votes: 102,730 Percent: 37.6% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2017; Ballotpedia, 2017.