Joseph Manuel Montoya (September 24, 1915June 5, 1978) was an American politician and member of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
who served as the
lieutenant governor of New Mexico
The lieutenant governor of New Mexico ( es, Lista de Vicegobernadores de Nuevo México) is an elected official in the state of New Mexico that ranks just below the governor of New Mexico. The lieutenant governor is the first person in the order of ...
(1947–1951 and 1955–1957), in the
U.S. House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
(1957–1964) and as a
U.S. senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
from New Mexico (1964–1977).
Early life and education
Montoya was born in
Peña Blanca, New Mexico
Peña Blanca is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sandoval County, New Mexico. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 661. It is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Peña Blanca's name is derived from the Spanish term ...
. His parents, Thomas and Frances Montoya, were Roman Catholic descendants of eighteenth-century
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
settler
A settler is a person who has human migration, migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area.
A settler who migrates to an area previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited may be described as a ...
s to New Mexico. He received his early education in public schools in
Sandoval County
Sandoval County is located in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, the population was 131,561, making it the fourth-most populous county in New Mexico. The county seat is Bernalillo, New Mexico, Bernali ...
and graduated from
Bernalillo High School
Bernalillo High School is a public high school in Bernalillo, New Mexico, United States. The school is a part of the Bernalillo Public Schools district and is the only high school in the district. The mascot is the Spartan.
Service area
The ser ...
in 1931. He continued his education at
Regis College in
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
. In 1934, he began law school at
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...
in
Washington, D.C.
)
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, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
In 1936 at age 21, while Montoya was still at Georgetown, he became the youngest representative in the history of the state to be elected to the
New Mexico House of Representatives
) is the lower house of the New Mexico State Legislature.
There are 70 members of the House. Each member represents roughly 25,980 residents of New Mexico.
The most recent elections were held on November 3, 2020.
Composition
Leadership
Cu ...
. In 1938, Montoya graduated from law school and was re-elected. The following year, he was elected the
Democratic majority floor leader.
Career
Montoya was elected to the
New Mexico Senate
The New Mexico Senate ( es, Senado de Nuevo México) is the upper house of the New Mexico State Legislature. The Senate consists of 42 members, with each senator representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts across the state ...
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
The lieutenant governor of New Mexico ( es, Lista de Vicegobernadores de Nuevo México) is an elected official in the state of New Mexico that ranks just below the governor of New Mexico. The lieutenant governor is the first person in the order of ...
three times
and also served two additional terms in the State Senate.
In 1957 Montoya was elected to the
U.S. House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
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
The Wilderness Act of 1964 () was written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society. It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected 9.1 million acres (37,000 km²) of federal land. The result of a lon ...
, which protected wilderness areas. Montoya won the 1964
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
election to complete the term of
Dennis Chavez
Dennis or Denis is a first or last name from the Greco-Roman name Dionysius, via one of the Christian saints named Dionysius.
The name came from Dionysus, the Greek god of ecstatic states, particularly those produced by wine, which is someti ...
, who died in office. Montoya won even though the
Governor of New Mexico
, insignia = Seal of the Governor of New Mexico.svg
, insigniasize = 110px
, insigniacaption = Seal of the Governor
, image = File:Michelle Lujan Grisham 2021.jpg
, imagesize = 200px
, alt =
, incumbent = Michelle Lujan Grisham
, incu ...
,
Edwin L. Mechem, had resigned the governorship in order 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
The Senate Watergate Committee, known officially as the Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, was a special committee established by the United States Senate, , in 1973, to investigate the Watergate scandal, with the power to inv ...
.
In 1976, a year that was a Democratic victory nationwide, Montoya was defeated by Republican
Harrison Schmitt
Harrison Hagan Schmitt (born July 3, 1935) is an American geologist, retired NASA astronaut, university professor, former U.S. senator from New Mexico, and the most recent living person—and only person without a background in military aviation ...
57% to 42%.
Death
Montoya died in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
at the age of 62.
See also
*
References
External links
Inventory of the Joseph M. Montoya Papers, 1913–1977 Center for Southwest Research, University of New Mexico.
*
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, -
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Montoya, Joseph
1915 births
1978 deaths
20th-century American politicians
American politicians of Spanish descent
Georgetown University Law Center alumni
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New Mexico
Democratic Party United States senators from New Mexico
Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in New Mexico
Hispanic and Latino American members of the United States Congress
Lieutenant Governors of New Mexico
Democratic Party members of the New Mexico House of Representatives
Neomexicanos
Democratic Party New Mexico state senators
Regis University alumni
Watergate scandal investigators