Edwin L. Mechem

Edwin Leard Mechem ( born July 2, 1912 in Alamogordo, New Mexico; † 27 November 2002 in Albuquerque, New Mexico ) was an American politician and from 1951 to 1962 several New Mexico governor. He represented this state in the U.S. Senate.

Early years

Edwin Mechem attended the local schools of his home. He then studied at New Mexico State University. In 1939 he finished his studies at the University of Arkansas with a degree in Law. In the meantime, he had worked from 1932 to 1935 for a federal agency in Las Cruces in the land surveying. After qualifying as a lawyer, he practiced first in Las Cruces and later in Albuquerque. Between 1942 and 1945 he worked for the FBI as an investigator.

Political Rise and Governor of New Mexico

Edwin Mechem was a member of the Republican Party. Between 1947 and 1948 he sat as an MP in the House of Representatives from New Mexico. On November 7, 1950 Mechem was first elected governor of his state, where he prevailed with 53.7 percent of the vote to Democrat John E. Miles. Overall, he graduated with interruptions four terms. His first two terms in office 1951-1955 were contiguous. His third term began - after a victory over incumbent John F. Simms - on 1 January 1957 and ended two years later in January 1959 his fourth and final term of office began on January 1, 1961 and ended with his resignation on 30 November 1962.. His office hours were determined by party political contrast between a democratic majority in the New Mexico Legislature and the Republican governor. Trying Mechems enforce republican objectives in New Mexico, so came in Parliament on resistance. So his tenures remained without particular success. Finally he resigned in November 1962 by his office to go to the U.S. Senate.

Further CV

Between 1962 and 1964 represented Edwin Mechem his state in Congress. It is noteworthy that it has at that time voted against the Civil Rights Act. After an unsuccessful attempt to be re-elected to this office, he was working as a lawyer again. He was also a member of a commission that dealt with the reform of the government structure of New Mexico, and was a member of the police committee of his state. In 1970 he was appointed judge at the Federal District Court for the District of New Mexico. This office he held until his death. Edwin Mechem died in November 2002 at the age of 90 years. He was married to Dorothy Ellen, with whom he had four children. He was the nephew of Merritt C. Mechem, who had also been Governor of New Mexico 1921-1923.