Martin Chavez
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| Martin J. Chávez | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Baca |
|---|---|
| Born | March 2 1952 Albuquerque |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | Martinque, Zeke |
| Residence | Albuquerque |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Website | http://www.cabq.gov/mayor |
Contents |
[edit] Background and education
Born in Albuquerque and of Hispanic heritage, Chávez attended both parochial (St. Charles Borromeo and Holy Ghost) and public (Van Buren and Manzano High) schools. After graduating from Manzano High School, Chávez earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of New Mexico and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University, following in the footsteps of his father. He was the founding director of the Workers’ Compensation Administration in 1986.
[edit] State senator
From 1989 to 1993 he served in the New Mexico State Senate, where he worked on issues including early voting, ethics reform, urban forestry, and workers compensation.
[edit] First term as mayor
In 1993 Chávez ran for mayor of Albuquerque and faced former New Mexico Governor Dave Cargo in a run-off election. Chávez won by fewer than 600 votes, the closest mayoral election in city history. From 1993 through 1997 Chávez served as mayor in a term that featured a reduction in crime rates[citation needed] and the construction of the long-sought Montaño Bridge. Chávez also initiated a highly successful water conservation campaign and helped lead the fight to protect Kirtland Air Force Base from closure.[citation needed]
[edit] Gubernatorial campaign
In 1997, Chávez decided not to run for re-election as mayor and instead ran for governor of New Mexico in 1998. He won the Democratic primary and faced incumbent Republican Governor Gary E. Johnson in the general election, which Chávez lost 45 percent to 55 percent.
[edit] Second and third term as mayor
In 2001, Chávez again ran for mayor and finished first in a seven-candidate race.
In 2005, he was the first mayor to be re-elected to consecutive terms since the creation of the strong mayoral form of government in 1974. In his third term, Albuquerque was named to Forbes magazine's list as the number-one place to do business[1] while also receiving the Greenest City in the Nation award by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.[2]
[edit] U.S. Senate campaign
On October 8, 2007, Chávez announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Republican Senator Pete Domenici, but on December 7 Chávez withdrew from the race, saying, "While I deeply appreciate all the support I have received, it has become very clear to me that Democrats should not be divided in the upcoming election."[3]
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/1/CODB_1.html
- ^ http://usmayors.org/75thAnnualMeeting/video/videolink.asp?video=albuquerqueaward
- ^ "Chávez drops out of U. S. Senate race", KRQE-TV, December 7, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
