Tom Udall | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2021 | |
| United States Ambassador to Samoa | |
| In office February 17, 2022 – January 14, 2025 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Scott Brown |
| Succeeded by | David Gehrenbeck (Chargé d'affaires) |
| United States Ambassador to New Zealand | |
| In office December 2, 2021 – January 14, 2025 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Scott Brown |
| Succeeded by | David Gehrenbeck (Chargé d'affaires) |
| Vice Chair of theSenate Indian Affairs Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Jon Tester |
| Succeeded by | Lisa Murkowski |
| United States Senator fromNew Mexico | |
| In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Pete Domenici |
| Succeeded by | Ben Ray Luján |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew Mexico's3rd district | |
| In office January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Redmond |
| Succeeded by | Ben Ray Luján |
| 28thAttorney General of New Mexico | |
| In office January 1, 1991 – January 1, 1999 | |
| Governor | Bruce King Gary Johnson |
| Preceded by | Hal Stratton |
| Succeeded by | Patricia A. Madrid |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Thomas Stewart Udall (1948-05-18)May 18, 1948 (age 77) Tucson, Arizona, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Jill Cooper |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | SeeUdall family |
| Education | Prescott College (BA) Downing College, Cambridge (LLB) University of New Mexico (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Thomas Stewart Udall (/ˈjuːdɔːl/YOO-dawl; born May 18, 1948) is an American diplomat, attorney, and politician who served as aUnited States senator forNew Mexico from 2009 to 2021. A member of theDemocratic Party, he also served as theU.S. representative forNew Mexico's 3rd congressional district from 1999 to 2009 andNew Mexico attorney general from 1991 to 1999. In 2022, he was made theUnited States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, leaving his post in 2025. Born inTucson, Arizona to theUdall family, he is the son of former U.S. Representative andSecretary of the InteriorStewart Udall and the nephew of former U.S. RepresentativeMo Udall. His cousin isMark Udall, a Senator for the neighboring state ofColorado from 2009 to 2015.
Udall was first elected in the2008 Senate race and was re-elected in2014, and became dean ofNew Mexico's congressional delegation. He did not seek a third term in2020, making him the only Democratic senator to retire that cycle. On July 16, 2021, PresidentJoe Biden nominated Udall to serve asUnited States Ambassador to New Zealand andSamoa.[1]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion with: information about his legal career. You can help byadding to it.(February 2023) |
Udall was born inTucson, Arizona,[2] to Ermalee Lenora (née Webb) andStewart Udall, theSecretary of the Interior from 1961 to 1969.[3] He is of partial Swiss ancestry on his mother's side.[4] He completed his undergraduate education atPrescott College, before going on to receive aBachelor of Laws degree from theUniversity of Cambridge and aJuris Doctor from theUniversity of New Mexico School of Law.[5]
In 1982, Udall ran for Congress in the newly created 3rd district, based in the state capital,Santa Fe, and including most of the north of the state. He lost the Democratic primary toBill Richardson. In 1988, he ran for Congress again, this time in an election for theAlbuquerque-based 1st district seat left open by retiring twenty-year incumbentManuel Lujan Jr., but narrowly lost toBernalillo County District AttorneySteven Schiff. From 1991 to 1999 he served asAttorney General of New Mexico.[6]
Udall ran for Congress again in 1998 in the 3rd district against incumbentBill Redmond, who had been elected ina 1997 special election to replace Richardson. Redmond was a conservative Republican representing a heavily Democratic district, and Udall defeated Redmond 53% to 43%.[7] He was reelected four more times with no substantive opposition, including an unopposed run in 2002.[citation needed]
As a U.S. Representative, Udall was a member of both thecentristNew Democrat Coalition and the moreliberalCongressional Progressive Caucus. He was a member of the United States HousePeak oil Caucus, which he co-founded with RepresentativeRoscoe Bartlett of Maryland.[8][9]
Udall sat on theUnited States House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations in theSubcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, theSubcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies and theSubcommittee on Legislative Branch.[citation needed]
He was the Co-Vice Chair of the House Native American Caucus and Co-Chair of theInternational Conservation Caucus.[citation needed]
In November 2007, Udall announced his run for the Senate seat held by retiring six-term incumbentRepublicanPete Domenici.[10] Potential Democratic rivalAlbuquerque MayorMartin Chavez dropped out, handing Udall the nomination. New Mexico's other two members of the House, 1st and 2nd district'sHeather Wilson andSteve Pearce, ran in the Republican primary. Pearce won the Republican nomination, and lost to Udall, by 186,606 votes.
While Udall ran for Senate in New Mexico, his younger first cousin, CongressmanMark Udall, ran for the Senate inColorado. Theirdouble second cousin, incumbentGordon Smith ofOregon, also ran for reelection. Both Udalls won but Smith lost.
In November 2014, Udall won re-election to his senate seat, defeating RepublicanAllen Weh by 57,312 votes[1]
He voted in favor of theDon't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010,FDA Food Safety Modernization Act,DREAM Act,[11]American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009,Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, and theLilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.[12]
Udall was one of the first members of Congress to publicly express concern about the possibility of NSA overreach, a year beforeEdward Snowden's 2013 disclosure of thePRISM program.[13]
On March 25, 2019, Udall announced that he would not run for reelection in 2020.[14]
In November 2020, it was reported that Udall was being considered forSecretary of the Interior in theBiden administration.[15]
On March 19, 2013, Udall introduced into the Senate theSandia Pueblo Settlement Technical Amendment Act (S. 611; 113th Congress), a bill that would transfer some land to theSandia Pueblo tribe.[16][17]
Also during the113th Congress, Udall introduced a proposedamendment to theConstitution that would reverseCitizens United and allow limits onoutside spending in support of political candidates.[18][19] The Amendment won the approval of theSenate Judiciary Committee on a 10–8 vote in July 2014.[19]
In December 2014, Udall introduced a resolution condemning theIndonesian mass killings of 1965–66 and calling for the declassification of documents on United States involvement in the genocide.[20][21]
In March 2015, Udall sponsored S. 697, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, a bill to amend and reauthorize theToxic Substances Control Act.[22] The legislation, as amended, was signed into law by President Barack Obama on June 22, 2016.[23] It updated the nation's safety system for thousands of chemicals in products like cleaners, paints, carpets and furniture.[24][25] The bill initially faced criticism over the balance between federal and state authority to regulate chemicals, but after changes to the legislation, it earned broader support, including from liberal members of the Senate and the President.[26][27] It passed by a vote of 403-12 in the House and voice vote in the Senate.[28]
In March 2019, he andRand Paul co-sponsored the bipartisanAFGHAN Service Act to compensate members of the armed forces and repeal the 2001Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists at the end of the Afghanistan withdrawal.[29][30]
Udall's committee assignments included:[31]
In 2013, Udall voted for state-by-state reciprocity ofconcealed carry and for the names of gun owners to be protected and released only in select situations.[33] In 2016, within weeks of theOrlando nightclub shooting, he participated in asit-in at the House to demand votes on gun control legislation, saying, "We owe it to theLGBT community & all families harmed by gun violence to keep terror suspects fr[om] obtaining guns."[34] In 2017, Udall had a "C−" grade from theNational Rifle Association and a "F" grade from theGun Owners of America for his support ofgun control.[35]
Udall has a lifetime score of 96% from theLeague of Conservation Voters.[36] In 2018 he received theSierra Club's top award for public officials, the Edgar Wayburn Award.[37]
In September 2019, Udall was one of eight senators to sign a bipartisan letter to congressional leadership requesting full and lasting funding of the Land and Water Conservation Act to aid national parks and public lands, benefit the $887 billion American outdoor recreation economy, and "ensure much-needed investment in our public lands and continuity for the state, tribal, and non-federal partners who depend on them."[38]
In late 2019, Udall co-sponsored theGreen New Deal, a policy introduced in theU.S. Senate that would establish net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.[39]
On July 16, 2021, PresidentJoe Biden nominated Udall to serve asUnited States Ambassador to New Zealand andSamoa.[1] On September 22, a hearing on his nomination was held before theSenate Foreign Relations Committee.[40] On October 19, his nomination was reported favorably out of committee.[41] The Senate confirmed Udall by voice vote on October 26.[42]
Udall presented his credentials to theNew Zealand governor-general,Dame Cindy Kiro, inWellington on December 2, 2021.[43] On February 17, 2022, he virtually presented his credentials to theHead of State of Samoa,Afioga Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II.[44][45] Udall's term ending with the Biden administration in 2025.[46]
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Tom Udall | 59,676 | 35.95 | |
| Democratic | Patricia Madrid | 50,875 | 30.65 | |
| Democratic | Dick Minzner | 28,860 | 17.39 | |
| Democratic | Patrick Apodoco | 26,576 | 16.01 | |
| Total votes | 165,987 | 100.00 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Tom Udall | 265,582 | 67.59 | |
| Republican | William Davis | 127,364 | 32.41 | |
| Total votes | 392,946 | 100.00 | ||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Udall (incumbent) | 277,225 | 60.92 | |
| Republican | Donald Bruckner Jr. | 177,822 | 39.08 | |
| Total votes | 455,047 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Tom Udall | 32,533 | 44.03 | |
| Democratic | Eric Serna | 26,340 | 35.64 | |
| Democratic | Roman Maes III | 4,382 | 5.93 | |
| Democratic | Tony Scarborough | 3,681 | 4.98 | |
| Democratic | Carol Cloer | 2,631 | 3.56 | |
| Democratic | Patricia Lundstrom | 2,580 | 3.49 | |
| Democratic | Francesca Lobato | 1,251 | 1.69 | |
| Democratic | Eric Treisman | 498 | 0.67 | |
| Total votes | 73,896 | 100.00 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Tom Udall | 91,248 | 53.16 | |
| Republican | Bill Redmond (incumbent) | 74,266 | 43.27 | |
| Green | Carol Miller | 6,103 | 3.56 | |
| Write-in | 32 | 0.01 | ||
| Total votes | 171,649 | 100.00 | ||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Udall (incumbent) | 135,040 | 67.18 | |
| Republican | Lisa Lutz | 65,979 | 32.82 | |
| Total votes | 201,019 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Udall (incumbent) | 122,921 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 122,921 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Udall (incumbent) | 175,269 | 68.68 | |
| Republican | Gregory Tucker | 79,935 | 31.32 | |
| Total votes | 255,204 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Udall (incumbent) | 144,880 | 74.64 | |
| Republican | Ronald Dolin | 49,219 | 25.36 | |
| Total votes | 194,099 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Udall | 141,629 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 141,629 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Udall | 505,128 | 61.33% | +26.37% | |
| Republican | Steve Pearce | 318,522 | 38.67% | −26.37% | |
| Majority | 186,606 | 22.66% | −7.43% | ||
| Turnout | 823,650 | ||||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Udall (incumbent) | 113,502 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 113,502 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Udall (incumbent) | 286,409 | 55.56 | |
| Republican | Allen Weh | 229,097 | 44.44 | |
| Total votes | 515,506 | 100 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
Udall and his wife, the former Jill Cooper, have a daughter.[51] Tom Udall is the son of former Arizona Congressman and Interior SecretaryStewart Lee Udall, nephew ofArizonaCongressmanMorris Udall, and first cousin of former Colorado U.S. SenatorMark Udall,double second cousin of formerOregon U.S. SenatorGordon Smith,[52] and second cousin of Utah U.S. SenatorMike Lee.[53]
Udall is a member ofThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[54]
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Attorney General of New Mexico 1991–1999 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew Mexico's 3rd congressional district 1999–2009 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forU.S. Senator fromNew Mexico (Class 2) 2008,2014 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | United States Senator (Class 2) from New Mexico 2009–2021 Served alongside:Jeff Bingaman,Martin Heinrich | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Ranking Member of theSenate Indian Affairs Committee 2017–2021 | Succeeded by |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by | United States Ambassador to New Zealand 2021–2025 | Succeeded by David Gehrenbeck Acting |
| United States Ambassador to Samoa 2022–2025 | ||
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former U.S. Senator | Order of precedence of the United States | Succeeded byas Former U.S. Senator |
| Envoy |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Ambassador | ||
| Class 1 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 2 | ||
| Territorial (1851–1912) |
|  | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-large seats (1912–1969) |
| ||||||
| Districts (1969–present) (3rd district established in 1983) |
| ||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
