Tom Udall
Thomas Stewart Udall (/ˈjuːdɔːl/ YOO-dawl; born May 18, 1948) is an American diplomat, lawyer and politician serving as the United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a United States senator from New Mexico from 2009 to 2021. Udall also served as the U.S. representative for New Mexico's 3rd congressional district from 1999 to 2009 and New Mexico Attorney General from 1991 to 1999. Born in Tucson, Arizona, he is the son of former U.S. Representative Stewart Udall and the nephew of former U.S. Representative Mo Udall. A member of the Udall family, a western American political family, his relatives include Colorado's Mark Udall and Utah's Mike Lee. He was the dean of New Mexico's congressional delegation. Udall was first elected in the 2008 Senate race. He did not seek a third term in 2020, making him the only Democratic senator to retire that cycle. On July 16, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Udall to serve as United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa.[1]
Tom Udall | |
|---|---|
| United States Ambassador to Samoa | |
| Assumed office February 17, 2022 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Scott Brown |
| United States Ambassador to New Zealand | |
| Assumed office December 2, 2021 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Scott Brown |
| United States Senator from New Mexico | |
| In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Pete Domenici |
| Succeeded by | Ben Ray Luján |
| Vice Chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Jon Tester |
| Succeeded by | Lisa Murkowski |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico's 3rd district | |
| In office January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | William T. Redmond |
| Succeeded by | Ben Ray Luján |
| 28th Attorney 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 May 18, 1948 Tucson, Arizona, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Jill Cooper |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Prescott College (BA) Downing College, Cambridge (LLB) University of New Mexico (JD) |
| Signature | |
Early life, education and law career
Udall was born in Tucson, Arizona, to Ermalee Lenora (née Webb) and Stewart Udall, the Secretary of the Interior from 1961 to 1969.[2] Two of his maternal great-grandparents were Swiss.[3][importance?]
Early political career
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 to Bill Richardson. In 1988, he ran for Congress again, this time in an election for the Albuquerque-based 1st district seat left open by retiring twenty-year incumbent Manuel Lujan, Jr., but narrowly lost to Bernalillo County District Attorney Steven Schiff. From 1991 to 1999 he served as Attorney General of New Mexico.[4]
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
Udall ran for Congress again in 1998 in the 3rd district against incumbent Bill Redmond, who had been elected in a 1997 special election to replace Richardson. Redmond was a conservative Republican representing a heavily Democratic district, and Udall defeated Redmond with 53 percent of the vote.[5] He was reelected four more times with no substantive opposition, including an unopposed run in 2002.[citation needed]
Tenure
As a U.S. Representative, Tom Udall was a member of both the centrist New Democrat Coalition and the more liberal Congressional Progressive Caucus. He was a member of the United States House Peak oil Caucus, which he co-founded with Representative Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland.[6][7]
Committee assignments
Udall sat on the United States House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations in the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies and the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch.[citation needed]
Caucuses
He was the Co-Vice Chair of the House Native American Caucus and Co-Chair of the International Conservation Caucus.[citation needed]
U.S. Senate
Elections
In November 2007, Udall announced his run for the Senate seat held by retiring six-term incumbent Republican Pete Domenici.[8] Potential Democratic rival Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez dropped out, handing Udall the nomination. New Mexico's other two members of the House, 1st and 2nd district's Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce, ran in the Republican primary. Pearce won the Republican nomination, and lost to Udall, who won 61 percent of the vote.
While Udall ran for Senate in New Mexico, his younger first cousin, Congressman Mark Udall, ran for the Senate in Colorado. Their double second cousin, incumbent Gordon Smith of Oregon, also ran for reelection. Both Udalls won but Smith lost.
Tenure
He voted in favor of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, DREAM Act,[9] American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.[10]
Udall was one of the first members of Congress to publicly express concern about the possibility of NSA overreach, a year before Edward Snowden's 2013 disclosure of the PRISM program.[11]
On March 25, 2019, Udall announced that he would not run for reelection in 2020.[12]
In November 2020, it was reported that Udall was being considered for Secretary of the Interior in the Biden Administration.[13]
Legislation
On March 19, 2013, Udall introduced into the Senate the Sandia Pueblo Settlement Technical Amendment Act (S. 611; 113th Congress), a bill that would transfer some land to the Sandia Pueblo tribe.[14][15]
Also during the 113th Congress, Udall introduced a proposed amendment to the Constitution that would reverse Citizens United and allow limits on outside spending in support of political candidates.[16][17] The Amendment won the approval of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 10-8 vote in July 2014.[17]
In March 2015 Udall sponsored Senate bill 697, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, a bill to amend and reauthorize the Toxic Substances Control Act.[18] The legislation, as amended, was signed into law by President Barack Obama on June 22, 2016.[19] It updated the nation's safety system for thousands of chemicals in products like cleaners, paints, carpets and furniture.[20][21] 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.[22][23] It passed by a vote of 403-12 in the House and voice vote in the Senate.[24]
In March 2019, he and Rand Paul co-sponsored the bipartisan AFGHAN Service Act to compensate members of the armed forces and repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists at the end of the Afghanistan withdrawal.[25][26]
Committee assignments
Udall's committee assignments included:[27]
- Committee on Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
- Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
- Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies (Ranking Member)
- Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
- Committee on Foreign Relations
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
- Committee on Indian Affairs
- Committee on Rules and Administration
- Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
- International Narcotics Control Caucus
Caucuses
- Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus
- House Native American Caucus (Co-Vice Chair)
- International Conservation Caucus (Co-Chair)
- Rural Caucus
- Sportsmen's Caucus
- Afterschool Caucuses[28]
Political positions
Gun law
In 2013, Udall voted for state-by-state reciprocity of concealed carry and for the names of gun owners to be protected and released only in select situations.[29] In 2016, within weeks of the Orlando nightclub shooting, he participated in a sit-in at the House to demand votes on gun control legislation, saying, "We owe it to the LGBT community & all families harmed by gun violence to keep terror suspects fr[om] obtaining guns."[30] In 2017, Udall had a "C−" rating from the National Rifle Association and a "F" rating from the Gun Owners of America for his support of gun control.[31]
Environmental issues
Udall has a lifetime score of 96% from the League of Conservation Voters.[32] In 2018 he received the Sierra Club's top award for public officials, the Edgar Wayburn Award.[33]
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."[34]
In late 2019, Udall co-sponsored the Green New Deal, a policy introduced in the U.S. Senate that would establish net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.[35]
Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa
On July 16, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Udall to serve as United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa.[1] On September 22, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.[36] On October 19, his nomination was reported favorably out of committee.[37] The Senate confirmed Udall by voice vote on October 26.[38]
Udall presented his credentials to the New Zealand governor-general, Dame Cindy Kiro, in Wellington on December 2, 2021.[39] On February 17, 2022, he virtually presented his credentials to the Head of State of Samoa, Afioga Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II.[40][41]
Electoral history
1990
| New Mexico Attorney General Democratic primary election, 1990 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| New Mexico Attorney General election, 1990 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
| Democratic | Tom Udall | 265,582 | 67.59 | |
| Republican | William Davis | 127,364 | 32.41 | |
| Majority | 138,218 | 35.18 | ||
| Turnout | 392,946 | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
| New Mexico Attorney General election, 1994 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
| Democratic | Tom Udall (Incumbent) | 277,225 | 60.92 | -6.67 |
| Republican | Donald Bruckner, Jr. | 177,822 | 39.08 | +6.67 |
| Majority | 99,403 | 21.84 | ||
| Turnout | 455,047 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| New Mexico's 3rd congressional district Democratic primary election, 1998 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| New Mexico's 3rd congressional district election, 1998 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
| 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 | ||
| Majority | 16,982 | 9.89 | ||
| Turnout | 171,649 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
| New Mexico's 3rd congressional district election, 2000 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
| Democratic | Tom Udall (Incumbent) | 135,040 | 67.18 | +14.02 |
| Republican | Lisa Lutz | 65,979 | 32.82 | -10.45 |
| Majority | 69,061 | 34.36 | +24.47 | |
| Turnout | 201,019 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| New Mexico's 3rd congressional district election, 2002 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
| Democratic | Tom Udall (Incumbent) | 122,921 | 100.00 | +32.82 |
| Majority | 122,921 | 100.00 | +65.64 | |
| Turnout | 122,921 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| New Mexico's 3rd congressional district election, 2004 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
| Democratic | Tom Udall (Incumbent) | 175,269 | 68.68 | -31.32 |
| Republican | Gregory Tucker | 79,935 | 31.32 | +31.32 |
| Majority | 95,334 | 37.36 | -62.64 | |
| Turnout | 255,204 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| New Mexico's 3rd congressional district election, 2006 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
| Democratic | Tom Udall (incumbent) | 144,880 | 74.64 | +5.96 |
| Republican | Ronald Dolin | 49,219 | 25.36 | -5.96 |
| Majority | 95,661 | 49.28 | 11.92 | |
| Turnout | 194,099 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2008
| 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 | ||||
| Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | ||||
2014
| 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 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Personal life
Udall is married to Jill Cooper Udall. They live in Santa Fe with their daughter, Amanda Cooper. Tom Udall is the son of former Arizona Congressman and Interior Secretary Stewart Lee Udall, nephew of Arizona Congressman Morris Udall, and first cousin of former Colorado U.S. Senator Mark Udall, double second cousin of former Oregon U.S. Senator Gordon Smith,[46] and second cousin of Utah U.S. Senator Mike Lee.[47]
See also
References
- ^ a b "President Biden Announces Seven Key Nominations" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
- ^ Obituary Los Angeles Times, March 21, 2010; page A39.
- ^ "Thomas Stewart Udall". Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ . Albuquerque Tribune. November 29, 2007. Archived from the original on December 24, 2007. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ "Udall wins Redmond's New Mexico House seat". Associated Press. November 4, 1998. from the original on September 7, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ Rep. Tom Udall on resource depletion and climate change (transcript) October 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Global Public Media, December 9, 2005, Post Carbon Institute
- ^ . Archived from the original on September 25, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
- ^ Baker, Deborah (November 10, 2007). "New Mexico Rep. Tom Udall to seek Democratic nomination for Senate". Associated Press (SignOnSanDiego.com). from the original on December 6, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ "Key Votes by Tom Udall – page 2". The Washington Post. from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
- ^ "Key Votes by Tom Udall – page 3". The Washington Post. from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
- ^ Sargent, Greg (June 6, 2013). "We need more transparency and debate around NSA phone records program". Washington Post. from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
- ^ Lesniewski, Niels (March 25, 2019). "Sen. Tom Udall won't seek a third term in 2020". Roll Call. from the original on January 24, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
- ^ "Who Are Contenders for Biden's Cabinet?". The New York Times. November 11, 2020. from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "S. 611 – Summary". United States Congress. from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ "Chairwoman Cantwell Holds Hearing on Tribal Resources Legislation". Tulalip News. May 10, 2013. from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ "Senate Democrats Begin Efforts to Amend Constitution". Roll Call. June 6, 2014. from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
- ^ a b Prokop, Andrew (July 10, 2014). "A Senate committee just approved a constitutional amendment to reverse Citizens United". Vox. from the original on July 11, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
- ^ "All Bill Information (Except Text) for S.697 – Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act". Congress.gov. March 10, 2015. from the original on April 13, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ^ "President Obama signs the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act". whitehouse.gov. from the original on January 29, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2016 – via National Archives.
- ^ "Congress Passes Largest Chemical Safety Legislation In 40 Years". NPR.org. from the original on December 30, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ Korte, Gregory. "Obama signs bipartisan chemical safety bill". USA Today. from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "White House Statement of Administration Policy" (PDF). Office of Management and Budget. May 23, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016 – via National Archives.
- ^ Eilperin, Juliet; Fears, Darryl (May 19, 2016). "Congress is overhauling an outdated law that affects nearly every product you own". The Washington Post. from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Congress.gov". Congress.gov. U.S. Congress. June 22, 2016. from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Sens. Paul and Udall Introduce Legislation to End War in Afghanistan". paul.senate.gov. March 5, 2019. from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
- ^ Britschgi, Christian (March 5, 2019). "Sens. Rand Paul, Tom Udall Introduce Bill to End the War in Afghanistan". Reason. from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
- ^ "About Tom". www.tomudall.senate.gov. from the original on March 29, 2016. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
- ^ "Members". Afterschool Alliance. from the original on October 12, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
- ^ Weiner, Rachel (April 17, 2013). "How almost all the gun amendments failed". Washington Post. from the original on October 5, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
- ^ Melton, Tara (June 23, 2016). "New Mexico senators speak out about gun reform". Alamogordo Daily News. from the original on December 6, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
- ^ Blake, Aaron (December 17, 2012). "Where the Senate stands on guns — in one chart". Washington Post. from the original on October 4, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
- ^ "Senator Tom Udall". League of Conservation Voters. from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
- ^ "Sierra Club Announces 2018 Award Winners". sierraclub.org. October 1, 2018. from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
- ^ "Tester, Daines push for full funding of conservation fund". Havre Daily News. September 19, 2019. from the original on September 22, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
- ^ "S.Res.59". U.S. Senate. from the original on October 3, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
- ^ "PN918 – Nomination of Tom Udall for Department of State, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. October 26, 2021. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
- ^ "SFRC Approves 33 Critical Foreign Policy Nominations" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. October 19, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
- ^ Kelly, Laura (October 26, 2021). "Senate confirms four Biden ambassadors after delay". The Hill. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
- ^ Craymer, Lucy (December 2, 2021). "US ambassador Tom Udall excited to be in New Zealand, ready to engage". Stuff. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
- ^ @USAmbNZ (February 17, 2022). "I was honored to present my credentials virtually today to the Samoa Head of State" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Credentialing Ceremony - U.S. Ambassador Tom S. Udall". U.S. Embassy in Samoa. February 17, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
- ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 14, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
- ^ "2008 Election Statistics". Clerk.house.gov. from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- ^ "New Mexico - Election Night Results – June 3rd, 2014". Electionresults.sos.state.nm.us. June 3, 2014. from the original on December 28, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
- ^ "Official Results General Election – November 4, 2014". New Mexico Secretary of State. November 4, 2014. from the original on January 3, 2015. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
- ^ Udall family of Arizona June 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine at the Political Graveyard, Lawrence Kestenbaum, 2013
- ^ Lee Davidson (October 24, 2010). . The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on September 15, 2013.
External links
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Biography at Ballotpedia
- Congressional profile at GovTrack
- Financial information (federal office) at OpenSecrets