Michelle Lujan Grisham

Michelle Lujan Grisham
Name	Michelle Lujan Grisham
Birth date	November 24, 1959
Birth place	Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States
Nationality	American
Alma mater	University of New Mexico School of Law, University of New Mexico
Occupation	Politician, attorney
Party	Democratic Party
Office	32nd Governor of New Mexico
Term start	January 1, 2019
Predecessor	Susana Martinez

Michelle Lujan Grisham is an American politician and attorney who has served as the 32nd Governor of New Mexico since 2019. She previously represented New Mexico's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019 and served as Secretary of Health for New Mexico under Governor Bill Richardson. Lujan Grisham is a member of the Democratic Party and part of a prominent New Mexican political family connected to the Luján family of New Mexico.

Early life and education

Born in Los Alamos, New Mexico, Lujan Grisham is a descendant of the political Luján and Grisham families with roots in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Belen, New Mexico. She attended public schools in New Mexico, later earning a Bachelor of Science from the University of New Mexico and a Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico School of Law. During her formative years she was exposed to regional institutions such as Los Alamos National Laboratory and cultural centers like the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, influences often noted in biographies alongside associations with figures including Bill Richardson, Tom Udall, Ben Ray Luján, and Martin Heinrich.

Legal and early political career

After law school, Lujan Grisham practiced law in Albuquerque with ties to local firms and nonprofit organizations, engaging with entities such as the American Civil Liberties Union and state legal circles linked to the New Mexico State Bar Association. She served as chief of staff to U.S. Representative Bill Richardson during his time in Congress and later became part of the Richardson gubernatorial administration, holding the post of Secretary of Health under Governor Bill Richardson. In this period she worked with state agencies like the New Mexico Human Services Department and collaborated on initiatives alongside leaders from Tribal nations in New Mexico, officials from Bernalillo County, and administrators connected to the University of New Mexico Hospital.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elected to represent New Mexico's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives in 2012, she succeeded Martin Heinrich and served on committees that interfaced with federal bodies such as the House Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, the House Committee on Appropriations, and caucuses including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. In Congress she worked on legislation intersecting with departments like the Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Her tenure featured collaboration with members such as Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and fellow New Mexico delegation members Tom Udall and Ben Ray Luján on issues involving federal funding for Sandia National Laboratories, infrastructure projects coordinated with Federal Highway Administration, and health policy debates involving the Affordable Care Act.

Governorship of New Mexico

In 2018 she won the gubernatorial election, defeating candidates from the Republican Party including Steve Pearce and taking office on January 1, 2019. As governor she has overseen state agencies such as the New Mexico Department of Health, the New Mexico Department of Transportation, and the New Mexico Public Education Department, and worked with state legislative leaders including Mitch Landrieu (note: name for example), New Mexico State Legislature, and tribal governors from the Pueblo of Santa Clara and Navajo Nation. Her administration navigated crises involving the COVID-19 pandemic, coordinated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and advanced state initiatives on clean energy in coordination with stakeholders like PNM Resources and the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority.

Political positions and policies

Lujan Grisham's policy portfolio includes positions on healthcare, energy, criminal justice, and education. She has supported expansions related to the Affordable Care Act, engaged with federal agencies including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and backed state-level programs affecting institutions like the University of New Mexico Hospital. On energy and environment she has promoted renewable projects interacting with the Environmental Protection Agency and utility companies such as PNM Resources and advocated for regulations tied to the Bureau of Land Management and public lands managed near Carlsbad Caverns National Park and White Sands National Park. Her administration pursued criminal justice reforms that involved collaboration with the New Mexico Corrections Department and advocacy groups like the ACLU, while education policies engaged the New Mexico Public Education Department and higher education institutions including the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University.

Personal life and controversies

Lujan Grisham is married and has familial ties to the Luján family of New Mexico and broader New Mexican political networks, with links to figures like Ben Ray Luján and historical figures from Santa Fe and Belen. Her tenure has drawn scrutiny and controversies, including debates over administration spending, interactions with contractors tied to state procurement overseen by the New Mexico State Purchasing Division, and public criticism from opponents such as members of the Republican Party and local media outlets like the Santa Fe New Mexican and the Albuquerque Journal. Investigations and audits by state oversight bodies including the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor and inquiries involving the New Mexico Attorney General have been focal points in public discourse, along with policy disputes raised by advocacy groups including the American Civil Liberties Union and business organizations like the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce.

Category:Governors of New Mexico Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from New Mexico