|religion=
|offices=
{{Officeholder/misc
|office=Senior Judge of the [[United States District Courts|United States District Court]] for the District of New Mexico
|terms=July 3, 1982 – November 27, 2002
|preceded=???
|former=y
|succeeded=???
}}
{{Officeholder/misc
|office=Judge of the [[United States District Courts|United States District Court]] for the District of New Mexico
}}
{{Officeholder/misc
|office=State Representative from <br>[[New Mexico]]
|terms=1947–1948
|preceded=???
'''Edwin Leard “Big Ed”'''<ref name=nytimes>The Associated Press (November 30, 2002). [https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/30/us/edwin-mechem-90-a-governor-of-new-mexico.html Edwin Mechem, 90, a Governor of New Mexico]. ''Associated Press'' via ''The New York Times''. Retrieved May 9, 2021.</ref><ref name=alamogordonews>Simonich, Milan (December 24, 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20141010180517/http://www.alamogordonews.com/ci_19615338 Bill to name courthouse for Edwin Mechem]. ''Alamogordo Daily News'' via ''Internet Archive''. Retrieved May 9, 2021.</ref> '''Mechem''' (July 2, 1912 – November 27, 2002) was an [[FBI]] agent and [[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.
==Early life and education==
Mechem was born in southern New Mexico and grew up attending schools in [[Las Cruces]] and Alamagordo. He later went to New Mexico A&M University, where he belonged to the Alpha Delta Theta Fraternity.
Working as a land surveyor in his early career, he later attended the [[University of Arkansas]] and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in 1939. Mechem also worked as for the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] during the early 1940s before being elected to public office.
==Political career==
Mechem was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 1946 and served from 1947–481947 to 1948.<ref name=nytimes/>
===Governor of New Mexico===
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 (the others being [[Barry Goldwater]] of [[Arizona]], [[Bourke Hickenlooper]] of [[Iowa]], [[Milward Simpson]] of [[Wyoming]], [[Norris Cotton]] of [[New Hampshire]], and [[John Tower]] of [[Texas]]) who voted against the final passage of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]].<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/88-1964/s409 HR. 7152. PASSAGE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved May 9, 2021.</ref> He asserted that his objections were towards the sections of the legislation regarding fair employment and public accommodations.<ref>[https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0619.html Civil Rights Bill Passed, 73-27; Johnson Urges All To Comply; Dirksen Berates Goldwater]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved May 23, 2021.</ref> Mechem ran for a full Senate term that year, losing in the general election to Joseph M. Montoya by nine percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=29031 NM US Senate]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved May 9, 2021.</ref>
He missed 10% of all roll call votes during his short Senate tenure.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/edwin_mechem/407612 Sen. Edwin Mechem]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved May 9, 2021.</ref>
Even some Democrats in New Mexico regarded Mechem as a "great citizen".<ref name=alamogordonews/> Former Republican U.S. representative [[Steve Pearce]] introduced legislation twice to name a federal courthouse in Las Cruces after him, stating:<ref name=alamogordonews/><ref>ABQJournal News Staff (March 18, 2013). [https://www.abqjournal.com/179743/pearce-wants-court-named-for-mechem.html Pearce wants court named for Mechem]. ''Albuquerque Journal''. Retrieved May 17, 2021.</ref>
{{quotebox-float|Edwin Mechem is an iconic and prolific leader whose legacy should live on in the state. His service to our state as a United States senator, governor and federal judge deserves recognition.}}
==See also==
*[[U.S. "Party-switch" myth]]
==References==