Edwin Mechem

Edwin L. Mechem
Former U.S. Senator from New Mexico From: November 30, 1962 – November 3, 1964
Predecessor	Dennis Chavez
Successor	Joseph Montoya
Former Governor of New Mexico From: January 1, 1961 – November 30, 1962
Lieutenant	Tom Bolack
Predecessor	John Burroughs
Successor	Tom Bolack
Former Governor of New Mexico From: January 1, 1957 – January 1, 1959
Lieutenant	Joseph Montoya
Predecessor	John F. Simms
Successor	John Burroughs
Former Governor of New Mexico From: January 1, 1951 – January 1, 1955
Lieutenant	Tibo J. Chávez
Predecessor	Thomas J. Mabry
Successor	John F. Simms
Former State Representative from New Mexico From: 1947–1948
Predecessor	???
Successor	???
Information
Party	Republican

Edwin Leard Mechem (July 2, 1912 – November 27, 2002) was a Republican from New Mexico who served as the state's governor and U.S. senator, previously being a state representative. He was later appointed by President Richard Nixon to a district court in 1970.

Political career

Mechem served in the New Mexico House of Representatives from 1947–48.

U.S. Senate

After the death of incumbent Democrat senator Dennis Chavez, Gov. Mechem appointed himself to fill the vacant seat.

Mechem was one of six Senate Republicans who voted against the final passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He ran for a full Senate term that year, losing in the general election to Joseph M. Montoya by nine percentage points.

External links

• Profile at the Federal Judiciary Center
• Profile at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress