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Joseph Montoya

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(Redirected from Joseph M. Montoya) American politician For the California politician, see Joseph B. Montoya.

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Joseph Montoya
United States Senator
from New Mexico
In office
November 4, 1964 – January 3, 1977
Preceded byEdwin L. Mechem
Succeeded byHarrison Schmitt
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico's at-large district
In office
April 9, 1957 – November 3, 1964
Preceded byAntonio M. Fernández
Succeeded byJohnny Walker
14th and 16th Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico
In office
January 1, 1955 – April 9, 1957
GovernorJohn F. Simms
Edwin L. Mechem
Preceded byTibo J. Chávez
Succeeded byEd V. Mead
In office
January 1, 1947 – January 1, 1951
GovernorThomas J. Mabry
Preceded byJames B. Jones
Succeeded byTibo J. Chávez
Member of the New Mexico Senate
In office
1940–1947
Member of the
New Mexico House of Representatives
In office
1936–1940
Personal details
BornJoseph Manuel Montoya
(1915-09-24)September 24, 1915
Pena Blanca, New Mexico, U.S.
DiedJune 5, 1978(1978-06-05) (aged 62)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseDella Romero
Children3
RelativesAlfonso T. Montoya (brother)
EducationRegis University (BA)
Georgetown University (LLB)

Joseph Manuel Montoya (September 24, 1915 – June 5, 1978) was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the lieutenant governor of New Mexico (1947–1951 and 1955–1957), in the U.S. House of Representatives (1957–1964) and as a U.S. senator from New Mexico (1964–1977).

Early life and education

Montoya was born in Peña Blanca, New Mexico. His parents, Thomas and Frances Montoya, were Roman Catholic descendants of eighteenth-century Spanish settlers to New Mexico. He received his early education in public schools in Sandoval County and graduated from Bernalillo High School in 1931. He continued his education at Regis College in Denver, Colorado. In 1934, he began law school at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

In 1936 at age 21, while Montoya was still at Georgetown, he became the youngest person in the history of the state to be elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives. In 1938, Montoya graduated from law school and was re-elected. The following year, he was elected as Democratic majority floor leader.

Career

Montoya was elected to the New Mexico Senate in 1940, once again becoming the youngest member of that body ever elected. By the time he left the Senate in 1946, Montoya had been twice reelected to the State Senate and held the positions of majority whip and chairman of the Judiciary Committee. From 1947 to 1957 he was elected Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico three times and also served two additional terms in the State Senate.

In 1957, Montoya was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in a special election after the sudden death of the recently reelected New Mexico Congressman Antonio M. Fernández. In Congress, Montoya gained a recognition as a political moderate, a dedicated Democrat, and a diligent legislator — qualities that earned him the esteem of his fellow legislators and made him an effective congressman. In 1962, he defeated Republican Jack C. Redman, M.D.

In 1963, he became a member of the House Appropriations Committee where he was a strong advocate of education measures and soon authored the Vocational Education Act. In 1964, he sponsored the Wilderness Act, which protected wilderness areas. Montoya won the 1964 Senate election to complete the term of Dennis Chavez, who died in office. Montoya won even though the Governor of New Mexico, Edwin L. Mechem, had resigned the governorship in order to fill the seat temporarily. Thus began a twelve-year career in the Senate, where he served on the Appropriations Committee, the Public Works Committee, the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, and Senate Watergate Committee.

In 1976, a year that was a Democratic victory nationwide, Montoya was defeated by Republican Harrison Schmitt 57% to 42%.

Death

Montoya died in Washington, D.C., at the age of 62.

See also

References

  1. Spanish Americans, Lives and faces
  2. 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 September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2013.

External links

Political offices
Preceded byJames B. Jones Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico
1947–1951 		Succeeded byTibo Chávez
Preceded byEd Mead Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico
1955–1957
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded byAntonio M. Fernández Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico's at-large congressional district
Seat 2
1957–1964 		Succeeded byJohnny Walker
Party political offices
Preceded byDennis Chávez Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from New Mexico
(Class 1)
1964, 1970, 1976 		Succeeded byJeff Bingaman
U.S. Senate
Preceded byEdwin L. Mechem U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New Mexico
1964–1977
Served alongside: Clinton Anderson, Pete Domenici 		Succeeded byHarrison Schmitt
United States senators from New Mexico
Class 1 United States Senate
Class 2
Members of the United States House of Representatives from New Mexico
Territorial (1851–1912)
Seat
At-large seats (1912–1969)
Seat
Seat
Districts (1969–present)
(3rd district established in 1983)
1st district
2nd district
3rd district
Lieutenant governors of New Mexico
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