Michelle Lujan Grisham ( ; born October 24, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the
32nd governor of New Mexico since 2019. A member of the
Democratic Party, Lujan Grisham previously served as the
U.S. representative
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...
for
New Mexico's 1st congressional district
New Mexico's 1st congressional district of the United States House of Representatives serves the central area of New Mexico, including most of Bernalillo County, all of Torrance County, and parts of Sandoval, Santa Fe, and Valencia counties ...
from 2013 to 2019.
Lujan Grisham served as the state
secretary of health
A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare spending and other social security services.
Some governments have separate Minister of Mental Health, ...
from 2004 to 2007 and as a
Bernalillo County
Bernalillo County (; ) is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Mexico.[Bernalillo ...](_blank)
commissioner
A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something).
In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to incl ...
from 2010 to 2012. She was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in
2012
2012 was designated as:
*International Year of Cooperatives
*International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
Events January
*January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins.
* January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
, defeating
Janice Arnold-Jones. In 2016, Lujan Grisham was selected as the chair of the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) is an organization of 38 Democratic members of the United States Congress of Hispanic and Latino descent. The Caucus focuses on issues affecting Hispanics and Latinos in the United States. The CHC was fo ...
. She won the Democratic nomination for governor of New Mexico in
2018
Events January
* January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency.
* January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
and defeated
Republican Steve Pearce on November 6, 2018. She was reelected in
2022
The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
.
Early life and education
Michelle Lynn Lujan was born in
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Los Alamos (, meaning ''The Poplars'') is a census-designated place in Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States, that is recognized as one of the development and creation places of the Nuclear weapon, atomic bomb—the primary objective of ...
and grew up in
Santa Fe. Her father, Llewellyn Eugene "Buddy" Lujan, practiced
dentistry
Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the Human tooth, teeth, gums, and Human mouth, mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, dis ...
into his eighties until he died in March 2011. Her mother, Sonja Lee (née Jackson), was a homemaker originally from Indiana who died in 2022. Her sister Kimberly was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of two and died at 21.
Lujan Grisham says that her ancestors have inhabited New Mexico for 12 generations. She is part of the prominent
Lujan political family in New Mexico, many of whose members have served in elected and appointed positions in government.
Lujan graduated from
St. Michael's High School. She received a Bachelor of Arts in university studies from the
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico (UNM; ) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. Founded in 1889 by the New Mexico Territorial Legislature, it is the state's second oldest university, a flagship university in th ...
in 1981, where she was a work-study student in the engineering department and was a member of the
Delta Delta Delta
Delta Delta Delta (), also known as Tri Delta, is an international collegiate Fraternities and sororities in North America, women's fraternity. It was founded on November 27, 1888 at Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts.
History
File:S ...
sorority. In 1982, she married Gregory Alan Grisham. She also worked as a technical writing intern for the
Westinghouse Electric Corporation
The Westinghouse Electric Corporation was an American manufacturing company founded in 1886 by George Westinghouse and headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was originally named "Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company" and was ...
. In 1987, Lujan Grisham earned a
Juris Doctor
A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...
from the
University of New Mexico School of Law.
[
]
Early political career
Lujan Grisham served as director of the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department under Bruce King, Gary Johnson
Gary Earl Johnson (born January 1, 1953) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 29th List of governors of New Mexico, governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003 as a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republica ...
, and Bill Richardson
William Blaine Richardson III (November 15, 1947 – September 1, 2023) was an American politician, author, and diplomat who served as the List of governors of New Mexico, 30th governor of New Mexico from 2003 to 2011. He was U.S. ambassador to ...
. During Richardson's tenure, the position was elevated to the state cabinet level. In 2004, he named Lujan Grisham as New Mexico Secretary of Health and she served in the position until 2007.
Lujan Grisham was later elected to the Bernalillo County
Bernalillo County (; ) is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Mexico.[Bernalillo ...](_blank)
Commission
In-Commission or commissioning may refer to:
Business and contracting
* Commission (remuneration), a form of payment to an agent for services rendered
** Commission (art), the purchase or the creation of a piece of art most often on behalf of anot ...
, serving from 2010 to 2012.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2008
Lujan Grisham resigned as Secretary of Health in order to run for the United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
in the 2008 elections, losing in the Democratic primary to Martin Heinrich
Martin Trevor Heinrich ( ; born October 17, 1971) is an American businessman and 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 ...
, who won with 44% of the vote. New Mexico Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron ranked second with 25% and Lujan Grisham ranked third with 24%.
2010
Lujan Grisham was elected to the Bernalillo County
Bernalillo County (; ) is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Mexico.[Bernalillo ...](_blank)
Commission
In-Commission or commissioning may refer to:
Business and contracting
* Commission (remuneration), a form of payment to an agent for services rendered
** Commission (art), the purchase or the creation of a piece of art most often on behalf of anot ...
, serving from 2010 to 2012. In August 2012, she resigned to focus on her congressional race.
2012
Lujan Grisham sought the Democratic nomination for the House again in 2012 after Heinrich decided to run for the United States Senate
The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
. She won the nomination, defeating Marty Chavez and Eric Griego. She defeated Janice Arnold-Jones, a former member of the New Mexico House of Representatives
The New Mexico House of Representatives () is the lower house of the New Mexico State Legislature.
There are 70 members of the House. Each member represents roughly 25,980 residents of New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the South ...
, in the November general election, 59%–41%.
2014
Lujan Grisham defeated Republican Mike Frese in the 2014 elections, 59% to 41%.
2016
In 2016, Lujan Grisham defeated Republican Richard Priem, receiving 179,380 votes (65.1%) to Priem's 96,061 (34.9%).
Tenure
Lujan Grisham was sworn in as a member of Congress on January 3, 2013. In 2016, she was one of nine members of Congress who took a trip to Baku
Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
who were later found to have been secretly funded by the government of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
; she had to turn over gifts the country gave her to the House Clerk after an ethics investigation. Both the Office of Congressional Ethics and House Ethics Committee found lawmakers and aides had no way of knowing the trip was being funded improperly.
Also in 2016, Lujan Grisham was selected as the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) is an organization of 38 Democratic members of the United States Congress of Hispanic and Latino descent. The Caucus focuses on issues affecting Hispanics and Latinos in the United States. The CHC was fo ...
.
Lujan Grisham resigned her House seat as of December 31, 2018, to assume the governorship of New Mexico the following day.
Committee assignments
* Committee on Agriculture
** United States House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition
** United States House Agriculture Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research (Ranking Member)
* Committee on the Budget
Caucuses
* Congressional Hispanic Caucus
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) is an organization of 38 Democratic members of the United States Congress of Hispanic and Latino descent. The Caucus focuses on issues affecting Hispanics and Latinos in the United States. The CHC was fo ...
(Chair)
* Congressional Native American Caucus
* Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues
Governor of New Mexico
Elections
2018
On December 13, 2016, one week after Tom Udall announced he would not run for governor of New Mexico
The governor of New Mexico () is the head of government of New Mexico. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New Mexico's state government and the commander-in-chief of the New Mexico National Guard. As noted in the govern ...
, Lujan Grisham became the first person to announce her candidacy to succeed Susana Martinez
Susana Martinez (born July 14, 1959) is an American politician and attorney who served as List of governors of New Mexico, 31st governor of New Mexico from 2011 to 2019. A Republican Party (United States), Republican, she served as chair of the ...
, who was prohibited from running because of term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction on the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method of curbing the potential for monopoly, w ...
s. On June 5, 2018, she won the Democratic primary to become the party's nominee. On November 6, she was elected governor, defeating the Republican nominee, U.S. Representative Steve Pearce, with 57.2% of the vote.
2022
On November 8, 2022, Lujan Grisham was reelected to a second term, defeating Republican nominee Mark Ronchetti with 52% of the vote.
Tenure
Lujan Grisham was sworn in on January 1, 2019. In September 2019, she announced a plan to make public universities in New Mexico tuition-free to state residents.
On January 29, 2019, Lujan Grisham signed an executive order calling for New Mexico to join the United States Climate Alliance and to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities intensify the greenhouse effect. This contributes to climate change. Carbon dioxide (), from burning fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, oil, and natural gas, is the main cause of climate chan ...
by 45% below 2005 levels by 2030. This executive order also called for the state to develop comprehensive regulations to reduce methane
Methane ( , ) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms). It is a group-14 hydride, the simplest alkane, and the main constituent of natural gas. The abundance of methane on Earth makes ...
emissions from the oil and gas sector, and for state agencies to work with the legislature to increase the state's renewable portfolio standard
A renewable portfolio standard (RPS) is a regulation that requires the increased production of energy from renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal. Other common names for the same concept include Renewable Electric ...
.
In March 2019, Lujan Grisham signed New Mexico's Energy Transition Act. The legislation transitions the state's electricity sector away from coal and natural gas and toward a renewable economy, requiring New Mexico's electricity to be 50% renewable by 2030 and 100% from zero-carbon sources by 2045. She called the legislation "a promise to future generations of New Mexicans."
On September 5, 2020, Lujan Grisham was named a co-chair of the Biden-Harris Transition Team, which was planning Joe Biden's presidential transition. In November, Lujan Grisham was named a candidate for United States Secretary of Health and Human Services
The United States secretary of health and human services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all health matters. The secretary is ...
in the Biden administration
Joe Biden's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 46th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Joe Biden, his inauguration on January 20, 2021, and ended on January 20, 2025. Biden, a member of the Democr ...
. On December 3, 2020, she was elected chair of the Democratic Governors Association
The Democratic Governors Association (DGA) is a Washington, D.C.–based 527 organization founded in 1983, consisting of U.S. state and territorial List of current United States governors, governors affiliated with the Democratic Party (United St ...
for 2021, having served as vice chair in 2020.
In May 2021, Lujan Grisham and 12 others were named as defendants in a lawsuit filed on behalf of the former executive director of the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board, alleging that she was not compensated at the same rate as her male counterparts. In August 2021, Lujan Grisham signed an executive order joining Biden's "30x30" land goal.
On September 8, 2023, Lujan Grisham issued an emergency order restricting carrying firearms in Albuquerque for 30 days. The order has been criticized by Republicans, civil rights advocates, some Democrats, and gun safety advocates as unconstitutional. On September 13, Judge David H. Urias issued a temporary restraining order
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a special court order compelling a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. It was developed by the English courts of equity but its origins go back to Roman law and the equitable reme ...
blocking her order until October 3, when a hearing was held. On October 3, Urias extended the preliminary hold while he considers blocking the restrictions indefinitely.
In April 2025, Lujan Grisham signed into law Senate Bill 16, which allows unaffiliated or independent voters to participate in major- party primaries without changing their registration. The reform, which was broadly opposed by New Mexico Republicans and a few Democrats, takes effect in 2026 and aims to expand access for the state's growing number of independent voters (approximately 23% as of 2025), increasing voter participation and reducing partisan polarization.
Political positions
Abortion
Abortion is legal in New Mexico at all stages of pregnancy.
In 1969, the New Mexico Legislature passed a law that made it a felony for someone to provide a woman with an abortion unless it was needed to save a woman's life, or because her pregnancy was a result of rape or incest. The U.S. Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that turn on question ...
's decision in 1973's ''Roe v. Wade
''Roe v. Wade'', 410 U.S. 113 (1973),. was a List of landmark court decisions in the United States, landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States protected the right to have an ...
'' barred states from regulating abortion in the first trimester; consequently, New Mexico's 1969 abortion law became unenforceable. In her 2019 State of the State address, Lujan Grisham stated her support for a repeal of the 1969 law. She said, "The old criminal abortion law of this state, only one of nine left in the entire country, must go. Bring me that bill and I will sign it." Lujan Grisham published an op-ed in support of repeal on March 3, 2019. Repeal legislation passed the New Mexico House of Representatives; however, that legislation was defeated in the Democratic-led State Senate on March 14, 2019, by a vote of 24–18. Following the Senate vote, Lujan Grisham said, "This old, outdated statute criminalizing health care providers is an embarrassment. That removing it was even a debate, much less a difficult vote for some senators, is inexplicable to me."
In 2021, the New Mexico legislature passed SB10, a repeal of the 1969 abortion law. The bill was approved in the House by a 40–30 margin and in the Senate by a 25–17 margin. Governor Lujan Grisham signed it into law on February 26, 2021.
Guns
Lujan Grisham was a co-sponsor of the Assault Weapon Ban, H. R. 4269, introduced on December 12, 2015.
Israel
Lujan Grisham is a strong supporter of Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
. She condemned the United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, an ...
's criticism of Israel's settlement building in the occupied Palestinian territories
The occupied Palestinian territories, also referred to as the Palestinian territories, consist of the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip—two regions of the former Mandate for Palestine, British Mandate for Palestine ...
.
Marijuana legalization
In 2019, after a bill to legalize recreational marijuana passed the New Mexico House but not the Senate, Lujan Grisham announced that she would add the issue to the legislative agenda for the upcoming year. She also announced the formation of a working group to determine the best path forward for legalization during the 2020 session. In 2021, after the legislature failed to legalize cannabis during the regular session, Lujan Grisham called a special session so that lawmakers could pass a legalization bill. She signed the bill into law on April 12, 2021.
Minimum wage
In 2015, Lujan Grisham co-sponsored legislation that would raise the federal minimum wage to $12/hour.
2024 presidential election
After Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
dropped out
Dropping out refers to leaving high school, college, university or another group for practical reasons, necessities, inability, apathy, or disillusionment with the system from which the individual in question leaves.
Canada
In Canada, most ind ...
of the 2024 presidential election and Kamala Harris
Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is the first female, first African American, and ...
became the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, Lujan Grisham endorsed Harris and said she was confident that Harris would win New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
in the Electoral College
An electoral college is a body whose task is to elect a candidate to a particular office. It is mostly used in the political context for a constitutional body that appoints the head of state or government, and sometimes the upper parliament ...
.
Personal life
Lujan Grisham married Gregory Grisham in 1982. They were married until his death from a brain aneurysm
An intracranial aneurysm, also known as a cerebral aneurysm, is a cerebrovascular disorder characterized by a localized dilation or ballooning of a blood vessel in the brain due to a weakness in the vessel wall. These aneurysms can occur in an ...
in 2004. The couple had two daughters. Lujan Grisham filed a wrongful death suit against her husband's physician, but the lawsuit was dropped.[
Lujan Grisham married Manuel Cordova, a small business owner from ]Albuquerque
Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ...
, on May 21, 2022, with Vice President of the United States
The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest ranking office in the Executive branch of the United States government, executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks f ...
Kamala Harris
Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is the first female, first African American, and ...
officiating the wedding. The wedding was postponed due to COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
restrictions. The couple had been together since 2012.
Sexual battery settlement
In December 2019, a former campaign staffer and spokesperson, James Hallinan, accused Lujan Grisham of sexual battery. According to Hallinan, the incident took place during a staff meeting in 2018. By his account, Lujan Grisham poured a bottle of water on his crotch and then slapped and grabbed his crotch through his pants while laughing. He said the incident happened "in front of everybody".
In April 2021, it was publicized that Lujan Grisham and her gubernatorial campaign, while denying the allegations, had reached a $62,500 settlement with the law firm representing Hallinan. The payment was made in monthly installments of $12,500 from November 2020 to March 2021. Her political committee paid another $87,500 over six months, bringing the total payout to $150,000.
Ethics controversy
In February 2021, an investigative team from Albuquerque TV station KOB found reports of more than $6,500 worth of groceries bought from the governor's contingency fund, which is intended for travel or official functions to promote the state. According to public receipts through an Inspection of Public Records Act request, the items include anything from "laundry detergent to Wagyu beef, tuna steaks, top sirloin and hundreds of dollars in alcohol purchases."
See also
* List of female governors in the United States
As of 2025, 51 women have served as Governor (United States), governor of a U.S. state, three as governor of an Unincorporated territories of the United States, unincorporated U.S. territory, and two as mayor of the District of Columbia. In Jan ...
* List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress
*
* Women in the United States House of Representatives
References
External links
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham
official government website
New Mexicans for Michelle
campaign website
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lujan Grisham, Michelle
1959 births
21st-century New Mexico politicians
21st-century American women politicians
American politicians of Mexican descent
21st-century American women lawyers
21st-century American lawyers
County commissioners in New Mexico
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New Mexico
Democratic Party governors of New Mexico
Female members of the United States House of Representatives
Hispanic and Latino American members of the United States Congress
Hispanic and Latino American state governors of the United States
Hispanic and Latino American women in politics
Living people
Lujan family
New Mexico lawyers
People from Los Alamos, New Mexico
State cabinet secretaries of New Mexico
University of New Mexico School of Law alumni
Women in New Mexico politics
Women state governors of the United States
Hispanic and Latino American people in New Mexico politics
21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives