Martin Heinrich


Martin Trevor Heinrich is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from New Mexico, a seat he has held since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Heinrich served as the U.S. representative from from 2009 to 2013. He and fellow senator Ben Ray Luján are the co-deans of New Mexico's congressional delegation.
Born in Fallon, Nevada, Heinrich lived much of his adulthood in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and maintains a residence there along with his work residence in Silver Spring, Maryland. From 2004 to 2008, he served on the Albuquerque City Council, representing the 6th district. Heinrich was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008 and reelected in 2010.
In lieu of running for a third term in the House, Heinrich ran for the Senate seat vacated by retiring Senator Jeff Bingaman in the 2012 election and defeated Republican Heather Wilson, 51%–45%. He was reelected in 2018 and 2024. Since the beginning of the 118th Congress, Heinrich has chaired the Joint Economic Committee, having previously served as vice chair. In January 2021, Heinrich became New Mexico's senior senator when Tom Udall retired from the Senate.

Early life and education

Martin Trevor Heinrich was born in Fallon, near Carson City, Nevada. He is the son of seamstress Shirley A. and Pete C. Heinrich, a utility company lineman. His father was born in Waldenburg, Germany, as Heinrich Peter Karl Cordes and later took his stepfather Olaf Heinrich's surname. When he was naturalized as an American citizen in 1955, he changed his name again to Pete Carl Heinrich. Raised as a Lutheran, Martin Heinrich grew up in Cole Camp, Missouri. He attended public schools in Cole Camp, then moved to Columbia, Missouri, in 1989 to attend the University of Missouri. He graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. He left Missouri for Albuquerque to take graduate courses at the University of New Mexico.

Early career

After a brief stint doing mechanical drawings, Heinrich worked as an AmeriCorps fellow in New Mexico.
From 1996 to 2001 Heinrich served as executive director of the Cottonwood Gulch Foundation, a New Mexico nonprofit organization dedicated to educating young people on natural science and the environment. In 2002 he founded his own public affairs consulting firm.
Heinrich served on the Albuquerque City Council from 2004 to 2008, including one term as city council president in 2006. As a city councilman, he said his goals were to reduce crime, raise the minimum wage and create new jobs. He also advocated the use of wind and solar power.
In February 2006 Governor Bill Richardson appointed Heinrich to be the state's Natural Resources Trustee.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2008

In 2008 Heinrich filed papers to run in, based in Albuquerque. He originally planned to challenge five-term Republican incumbent Heather Wilson, but Wilson retired to run for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Republican Pete Domenici. Heinrich won the Democratic primary on June 4, 2008, defeating New Mexico Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron, State Health Secretary Michelle Lujan Grisham, and U.S. Army veteran Robert Pidcock, 44–25–24–8%.
In the general election Heinrich faced Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White, whom Heinrich's campaign focused on linking to President George W. Bush. Heinrich also called for energy independence and an end to the war in Iraq. He defeated White 56–44%, carrying three of the district's five counties: Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Valencia ; White won Santa Fe and Torrance counties. Heinrich is the first Democrat to represent the district, which had been in Republican hands since New Mexico was split into districts in 1969 but became increasingly friendly to Democrats, having gone Democratic in every presidential election since 1992.

2010

Heinrich was challenged by Republican Jon Barela, who told Politico he did not believe Heinrich reflected the district, saying he was too far left on budget and spending issues. During the 2010 campaign Roll Call reported that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee assigned a lobbyist to aid in the reelection campaigns of possibly vulnerable House members in fundraising, messaging and campaign strategy. Heinrich was elected to a second term, defeating Barela 52–48%, and carrying two of the district's counties: Bernalillo and Sandoval. Barela won Santa Fe, Torrance, and Valencia counties.

Tenure

On January 14, 2009, the House Democratic freshmen elected Heinrich to a six-month term as their class president. He co-sponsored the Stop the Congressional Pay Raise Act, which would cancel an automatic $4,700 salary raise for members of Congress.

Health care

On March 21, 2010, Heinrich voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In 2017 he co-sponsored Medicare-For-All.

Abortion

PAC endorsed Heinrich in 2010.
Heinrich received a 100% score from NARAL in 2009.

Environment

Heinrich has identified as an environmentalist throughout his career. He served as executive director of the Cottonwood Gulch Foundation, a New Mexico nonprofit organization dedicated to educating young people on natural science and the environment, and founded his own public affairs consulting firm.
Later, as a member of the Albuquerque City Council, he advocated for the use of wind and solar power. In February 2006 Governor Bill Richardson appointed him to be the state's Natural Resources Trustee. He also served on the executive committee of the Sierra Club's Rio Grande Chapter. In August 2011 he received the Sierra Club's first endorsement of the 2012 election cycle. He opposes construction of the Keystone Pipeline. He supports cap-and-trade legislation. In April 2019 Heinrich was one of three Democratic senators who joined Republicans to vote to confirm David Bernhardt, a former oil executive, as Secretary of the Interior Department.
In late 2019, Heinrich was one of 14 senators to co-sponsor the Green New Deal, a policy introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate that would establish net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Heinrich was a member of the Senate Democrats' Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, which published a report of its findings in August 2020.

Same-sex marriage

After his 2012 Senate primary opponent, Hector Balderas, announced his support for same-sex marriage, Heinrich's staff released a statement to The New Mexico Independent newspaper stating, "Martin has supported gay marriage for some time. I just don't think he was asked about it. Thanks for asking!" He was an original cosponsor of Congressman Jerry Nadler's 2009 legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

Gun law

Heinrich is an outdoorsman, hunter, gun owner, and former member of the National Rifle Association. The NRA endorsed him during the 2010 congressional election. At that time, the NRA gave him an A grade for his stance on Second Amendment rights. The NRA did not support Heinrich during his 2012 Senate campaign, and he has since donated their 2010 contribution to charity.
Heinrich opposed a bill that would have reinstated the Federal Assault Weapons Ban. He also supported bills to create a national standard for the concealed carrying of firearms across state lines, co-sponsored legislation that would ease the restrictions on the sales of firearms across state lines, and called for the repeal of the Dickey Amendment, which prevents government research into curbing gun violence. He supports banning bump stocks and banning sales to anyone on the federal no fly list.

Ojito Wilderness

In 2008, the New Mexico Republican Party criticized Heinrich for his work on the creation of the Ojito National Wilderness, which they said amounted to unregistered lobbying. Heinrich responded that the work was advocacy that did not require lobbying disclosure.

Armed forces

Heinrich was a member of the House Armed Services Committee. During his time in Congress he has maintained strong opposition to the war in Iraq, and supported a swift end of combat operations in Afghanistan. In 2011 he voted against the National Defense Authorization Act conference report because he objected to language requiring that suspected foreign terrorists be taken into custody by the military instead of civilian law enforcement authorities.

Committee assignments

Elections

2012

Heinrich announced that he would leave the House to run for the United States Senate seat held by Jeff Bingaman, who retired at the end of his term. In March, Politico reported that Al Gore had signed a fundraising letter for Heinrich. Heinrich defeated State Auditor Hector Balderas in the Democratic primary. He defeated Republican Heather Wilson, his predecessor in Congress, in the November 6 general election, 51% to 45%.

2018

Heinrich was reelected to a second term in 2018 over Republican Mick Rich and Libertarian Gary Johnson. He gained 54% of the vote to Rich's 30% and Johnson's 15%.

2024

Heinrich was elected to a third Senate term, defeating Republican nominee Nella Domenici with 55% of the vote.

Tenure

116th Congress (2019–2021)

In November 2020, Heinrich was named a candidate for secretary of the interior in the Biden administration. This position ultimately went to fellow New Mexican Deb Haaland, who held the same House seat Heinrich held until his election to the Senate.