Susana Martinez
Susana Martinez (born July 14, 1959, in El Paso, Texas) was the 31st Governor of New Mexico. Martinez, a Republican, first won election on November 2, 2010, defeating former Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish (D) with 53.3 percent of the vote.[1] Martinez sought re-election in the 2014 elections. Susana Martinez won the general election on November 4, 2014.[2] Martinez was ineligible to run for another term in 2018 because of term limits.
An attorney by trade, Martinez previously served as district attorney for the 3rd Judicial District in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, from 1997 until 2011.[3]
An analysis of Republican governors by Nate Silver of the New York Times in April 2013 ranked Martinez as the 24th most conservative governor in the country.[4]
Martinez was a Democrat until 1995, when she switched to the Republican Party.[5]
Biography
Martinez grew up in the Rio Grande Valley in El Paso, Texas, where she worked as a security guard for the business her parents started and ran from their home. Her father, a former Golden Gloves boxer, was the deputy sheriff for El Paso County.
After college and law school, Martinez moved to New Mexico in the 1980s. When she served as governor of New Mexico, she and her husband, Chuck Franco, lived in Las Cruces. Franco's experience included serving as the Doña Ana County undersheriff and working in law enforcement. Martinez had one stepson, Carlos, who served in the U.S. Navy.[6]
In August 2012, Martinez was included in a list of 20 Latino political rising stars compiled by the San Francisco Chronicle. In 2013, Time Magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people.[7][8]
Education
- B.A., University of Texas at El Paso
- J.D., University of Oklahoma College of Law [5]
Political career
Governor of New Mexico (2011-2019)
Martinez won election to the governorship in November 2010, defeating former Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish (D) with 53.3 percent of the vote. Martinez was New Mexico's first female governor and was the first female Hispanic governor in the United States. She served until 2019. She was succeeded by Michelle Lujan Grisham (D).
District Attorney (1996-2010)
Martinez was elected as district attorney for the 3rd Judicial District in New Mexico in 1996 with close to 60 percent of the vote. She was re-elected three times and was unopposed for her 2008 re-election.[6]
Presidential preference
2016 presidential endorsement
✓ Martinez endorsed Marco Rubio for the Republican primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.[9]
- See also: Endorsements for Marco Rubio
- On October 8, 2016, after The Washington Post released a 2005 video of Trump making comments about women that the Post described as "extremely lewd," Martinez announced she would not vote for Donald Trump in the 2016 general election.[10][11]
- See also: Republican reactions to 2005 Trump tape
Possible 2016 Republican vice presidential candidate
- See also: Possible vice presidential picks, 2016
Martinez was mentioned in 2016 as a possible Republican vice presidential candidate. Click here for the full list of those who were floated by politicians and news outlets as possible running mates.
During a rally in Albuquerque on May 25, 2016, Donald Trump mentioned that the number of people on food stamps in New Mexico had increased in recent years. Regarding Martinez, he stated, "She’s not doing the job. We’ve got to get her moving."[12] Martinez' press secretary Mike Lonergan responded the following day by saying, "The Governor will not be bullied into supporting a candidate until she is convinced that candidate will fight for New Mexicans."[13] On May 27, 2016, Donald Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson told CNN, “I think it's safe to say the governor was never on the VP short list.”[14]
Elections
2018
- See also: New Mexico gubernatorial election, 2018
Susana Martinez was not able to file for re-election due to term limits.
2014
- See also: New Mexico gubernatorial election, 2014
Martinez ran for re-election as Governor of New Mexico in 2014. Martinez was uncontested in the primary on June 3, 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014. [15]
Results
General election
| Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Susana Martinez/John A. Sanchez Incumbent |
57.2% | 293,443 | |
| Democrat | Gary King/Debra Haaland | 42.8% | 219,362 | |
| Total Votes | 512,805 | |||
| Election results via New Mexico Secretary of State | ||||
Race background
| Information about this election can be found by clicking [show] at the right. | |
|---|---|
Campaign finance lawsuitIn the summer of 2014, Democratic candidate Gary King faced accusations of accepting excessive contributions following his primary election victory. Secretary of State Dianna Duran (R) directed King's campaign staff to deposit $10,900 in excessive contributions to the state elections fund by August 4. The order focused on $10,400 from a couple in Taos and $500 from a Santa Fe resident that pushed King's campaign over the $5,200 limit for the primary.[16] King filed a lawsuit with the New Mexico Supreme Court contesting the secretary's order. He claimed that the contributions were acceptable as they would be used to eliminate his campaign's debt from the primary. King also criticized Duran, saying, "One of my real complaints in this is the secretary of state is using her office to try and steal the election for Gov. Martinez." His lawsuit also stated that Martinez and other candidates had gathered contributions exceeding $5,200 ahead of the primary.[16] On August 14, Duran issued a letter to King stating that he could exceed the contribution limit for the primary election in order to pay down campaign debts.[17] | |
Campaign media
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"Convicted" campaign ad |
2010
- See also: New Mexico gubernatorial election, 2010
Martinez was the Republican candidate for governor of New Mexico in the general election on November 2, 2010. She faced Democratic candidate Diane Denish.
In the three weeks prior to Election Day, Martinez spent $2.1 million, with about 75 percent of that going to advertising. Immediately prior to the election, Martinez raised $1.1 million. Her biggest donor was Denver developer Larry Mizel, with a $50,000 donation. Martinez and Denish spent about $5 million during the election cycle, as of November 2, 2010.[18]
Martinez won the election with 54 percent of the vote to Denish’s 46 percent, becoming New Mexico's first female governor.[19]
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
2016 Republican National Convention
- See also: Republican National Convention, 2016
Martinez was an at-large delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention from New Mexico. Martinez was one of 24 delegates from New Mexico bound by state party rules to support Donald Trump at the convention.[20]
Delegate rules
Delegates from New Mexico to the Republican National Convention were elected at a state convention in May 2016. New Mexico delegates were bound for the first ballot at the convention. As of July 2016, New Mexico state law explicitly criminalized the conduct of any delegate who does not vote for the presidential candidate to whom they are pledged. A violation of the delegate's pledge to support that candidate on the first ballot was considered a petty misdemeanor.
New Mexico primary results
| New Mexico Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Delegates | |
|
Donald Trump |
70.7% | 73,887 | 24 | |
| Ted Cruz | 13.3% | 13,911 | 0 | |
| John Kasich | 7.6% | 7,919 | 0 | |
| Jeb Bush | 3.4% | 3,517 | 0 | |
| Ben Carson | 3.7% | 3,825 | 0 | |
| Carly Fiorina | 1.4% | 1,507 | 0 | |
| Totals | 104,566 | 24 | ||
| Source: The New York Times and New Mexico Secretary of State | ||||
Delegate allocation
New Mexico had 24 delegates at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Of this total, nine were district-level delegates (three for each of the state's three congressional districts), and 12 served as at-large delegates. New Mexico's district and at-large delegates were allocated proportionally; a candidate had to win at least 15% of the statewide primary vote in order to be eligible to receive a portion of the state's district and at-large delegates.[21][22]
In addition, three national party leaders (identified on the chart below as RNC delegates) served as bound delegates to the Republican National Convention.[21][22]
Noteworthy events
Executive order requiring regulatory impact statements
- See also: Regulatory impact analysis
On December 18, 2018, Martinez signed an executive order requiring all state boards, commissions, and agencies to complete a Regulatory Impact Form (RIF) for each proposed rule or regulatory change.[23]
The RIFs featured information about each proposal's impact on the general public and possible outcomes to expect if the proposal was not implemented. State regulators were also required to include information identifying the problem that the proposal intended to address and provide an explanation for why the proposal was the best option among other possible solutions. The RIFs were required to be posted online through the state’s Sunshine Portal for public review 48 hours prior to the public comment period.
“Improving our regulatory environment has been a top priority for this administration, and analyzing each proposed rule is another step forward in ensuring that regulations are created responsibly and transparently,” said Martinez in a press release. “This new tool will help regulators and the public better understand the impact these regulations have on the people of our state.”
Democratic Governor-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham had not indicated whether or not she supported the order as of December 18.
The RIFs in New Mexico are similar to the Regulatory Impact Analyses (RIA) submitted by federal agencies as part of the federal regulatory review process. Presidential Executive Order 12866 required federal agencies to submit RIAs to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for each proposed significant regulatory action—those that may conflict with presidential priorities or have large impacts on the economy, environment, public health, or state or local governments.
Unlike federal RIAs, New Mexico’s RIFs will be required for all proposed rules or regulatory changes and will not be limited to those with significant regulatory impacts.
Stance on Syrian refugee resettlement
- Main article: U.S. governors and their responses to Syrian refugees
After the attacks in Paris, France, on November 13, 2015, many U.S. governors declared their support or opposition to Syrian refugee resettlement in their states. Martinez expressed strong opposition to the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the state of New Mexico. Press secretary Michael Lonergan said:
| “ | [The governor] strongly opposes the Obama Administration’s plan to accept more Syrian refugees until there is a very clear plan in place to properly vet and place the refugees, and the voices of governors and the public can be heard. The Governor’s top priority is keeping New Mexico’s families safe. In light of the attacks in Paris, she has directed all relevant state agencies to work closely with federal authorities to help prevent and respond to threats of any nature.[24] | ” |
| —Michael Lonergan, governor's press secretary[25] | ||
Third grade retention
In November 2013, Martinez supported the idea of retaining students who could not read at a minimal level by the end of the third grade. The legislature failed to pass a third-grade retention bill.[26]
Job creation ranking
A June 2013 analysis by The Business Journals ranked 45 governors based on the annual private sector growth rate in all 50 states using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Martinez was ranked number 43 (tie). The five governors omitted from the analysis all assumed office in 2013.[27][28]
Affordable Care Act
In December 2012, Martinez diverged from most Republican governors when she declined to enter New Mexico into the federal exchange system, as established under the Affordable Care Act, in favor of setting up a state-based system.[29][30] New Mexico was one of 18 states—including Colorado, New York, Maryland, and Washington—that decided to create and run individual health-exchange systems by the deadline on December 14, 2012. The exchange is an online marketplace for citizens to purchase health insurance.[31]
Tax reform
Martinez made tax reform, namely cutting the state corporate tax from 7.6 percent to 4.9 percent, a priority for 2013.[32]
Vetoes
In April 2013, Martinez killed 70 bills, either by veto or by not acting on them. This total was about one-fourth of all measures passed during the legislative session.[33]
The full list of bills signed and vetoed is available here.
Line-item veto lawsuit against Gov. Martinez
In 2011, Mimi Stewart, Henry Saavedra, John Arthur Smith, and “Lucky” Varela filed two lawsuits against Gov. Martinez over her line-item vetoes in an unemployment bill and a housing bill.
Raul Burciaga, the director of the Legislative Council Service, told committee members of the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) on May 19, 2011, that in his opinion two line-item vetoes made by Gov. Martinez violated the state’s constitution.
“Some of the governor’s vetoes seem to impinge on the legislature’s appropriation powers and plow new ground in a governor’s exercise of the veto authority,” said Burciaga.[34][35]
That day, Martinez said she disagreed and that the vetoes were constitutional. "We researched the issue to make sure it was appropriately done."[36]
On June 22, 2011, the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled against Martinez.[37]
Cabinet salary cut
At the start of her term as governor in early 2011, Martinez informed the public that the cabinet would take a salary cut.
"No cabinet secretary will earn higher than $125,000 per year. During the previous administration, cabinet secretaries earned as high as $188,158 per year," said Martinez in a statement.[38]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Susana + Martinez + New + Mexico + Governor"
See also
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External links
- Social media:
- Biographies:
- Executive actions:
- Fact-checking:
- Interest group ratings:
- Issue positions:
- Public statements:
Footnotes
- ↑ New Mexico Independent, "Martinez beats Denish, becoming first NM woman governor," November 3, 2010
- ↑ Albuquerque Journal, "Gov. raises $372,000 for re-election," April 9, 2013
- ↑ Office of the Governor of New Mexico, " Governor Susana Martinez," accessed August 7, 2013
- ↑ New York Times, "In State Governments, Signs of a Healthier G.O.P.," April 16, 2013
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 biography.com, "Susana Martinez biography," accessed August 7, 2013
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 State of New Mexico, "Susana Martinez-Governor of the State of New Mexico," accessed Sept. 7, 2015
- ↑ San Francisco Chronicle, "20 Latino political rising stars of 2012 (with PHOTO GALLERY)," August 25, 2012
- ↑ KTSM, "Governor Martinez makes Time Magazine's top 100 list," April 18, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "N.M. Gov. Susana Martinez to endorse Rubio," March 3, 2016
- ↑ Twitter, "Jonathan Martin," October 8, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Trump recorded having extremely lewd conversation about women in 2005," October 8, 2016
- ↑ Salon, "Why Trump’s attack on Susana Martinez matters: He proves again that unity isn’t his goal — only dominance over everyone," May 26, 2016
- ↑ The Hill, "Susana Martinez fires back at Trump," May 25, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Trump spokeswoman: New Mexico Gov. Martinez was never under VP consideration," May 26, 2016
- ↑ Albuquerque Journal, "Martinez Wastes No Time Preparing for Next Run," December 10, 2012
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 The Modesto Bee, "Gary King files lawsuit over campaign money," August 4, 2014 (dead link)
- ↑ The Washington Times, "Gary King files lawsuit over campaign money," August 4, 2014
- ↑ New Mexico Watchdog, "A look at the money trail in the Governor’s race," October 29, 2010
- ↑ New Mexico Independent, "Martinez beats Denish, becoming first NM woman governor," November 3, 2010
- ↑ Republican Party of New Mexico, "National Delegates Elected at RPNM 2016 Quadrennial Convention," accessed June 28, 2016
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Republican National Committee, "2016 Presidential Nominating Process," accessed October 6, 2015
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 CNN.com, "Republican National Convention roll call vote," accessed July 20, 2016
- ↑ ABC 7 Amarillo, "N.M. Governor issues executive order requiring impact analysis for proposed regulations," December 18, 2018
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ KOB.com, Gov. Martinez opposes U.S. Syrian refugee program without 'very clear' federal plan," November 16, 2015
- ↑ WatchDog.org, "Governor, Democrats on different pages when it comes to reading standards," accessed December 9, 2013
- ↑ The Business Journals, "Governors and jobs: How governors rank for job creation in their states," June 27, 2013
- ↑ The Business Journals, "How state governors rank on their job-growth record," June 27, 2013
- ↑ The Daily Times, "Governor Susana Martinez to tackle state-based health exchange," January 9, 2013
- ↑ The New York Times, "Most states miss deadline to set up health exchange," December 14, 2012
- ↑ The New York Times, "Most states miss deadline to set up health exchange," December 14, 2012
- ↑ Wall Street Journal, "The State Tax Reformers," January 29, 2013
- ↑ Albuquerque Journal, " Governor vetoes 70 measures," April 6, 2013
- ↑ Capitol Report New Mexico, "Lawmakers file suit over Susana vetoes," accessed May 26, 2011
- ↑ Capitol Report New Mexico, "Legislative director says two vetoes from Susana are unconstitutional," accessed May 19, 2011
- ↑ YouTube, "Susana Martinez on line-item vetoes," May 5, 2011
- ↑ Center for Civic Policy, "Martinez loses another Supreme Court case," June 23, 2011
- ↑ New Mexico Watchdog, "Cabinet salaries cut: Gov. Martinez says administration 'will lead by example,'" January 5, 2011
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bill Richardson (D) |
Governor of New Mexico 2011-2019 |
Succeeded by Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) |
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