Last modified on September 23, 2022, at 03:54

Pete Domenici

Pietro Vichi "Pete" Domenici
Domenici.jpg
U.S. Senator from New Mexico
From: January 3, 1973 – January 3, 2009
Predecessor Clinton P. Anderson
Successor Tom Udall
Information
Party Republican
Spouse(s) Nancy Burk Domenici
Religion Roman Catholic

'Pietro Vichi Domenici, known as Pete V. Domenici (May 7, 1915 – September 13, 2017), was a Republican U.S. Senator for New Mexico. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1972 and has been reelected ever since; making him the longest serving senator ever from the state of New Mexico.[1] Before his career in politics, Domenici worked in a private law practice. He earned a law degree from the University of Denver in 1958.[2]

In October 2007, Domenci announced that he would not seek another Senate term after his current term ended in January 2009 because of a degenerative brain disease.[3]

Early life

Domenici was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Italian-American parents. He graduated in 1950 from St. Mary's High School in Albuquerque. After earning a degree in education at the University of New Mexico in 1954, he pitched for one season for the Albuquerque Dukes, a farm club for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He taught mathematics at Garfield Junior High in Albuquerque. He earned his law degree at the University of Denver in 1958 and returned to practice law in Albuquerque.

Political career

In 1966, Domenici successfully ran for a position on the Albuquerque City Commission and in 1968 was elected Commission Chairman. This position was equivalent to that of "mayor" under the structure of the city government at the time. He unsuccessful ran for governor of New Mexico in 1970, losing to Democrat Bruce King by a narrow margin. Two years later, Domenici was elected to the United States Senate with 54% of the vote, and became the first New Mexico Republican to be elected to that position in 38 years. He has been reelected five times since then by subsequently large margins. Domenici was the longest-serving U.S. Senator from New Mexico. He served as the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. He was also a member of the Committee on Indian Affairs, Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Budget. Pete Domenici's record in the Senate is conservative. In recent years he's become an outspoken supporter of nuclear power and has published two books on the subject: "A Brighter Tomorrow: Fulfilling the Promise of Nuclear Energy" (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2004), which he wrote; and "Advanced Nuclear Technologies — Hearing Before the Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate" (Collingdale, Pennsylvania: D I A N E Publishing Company, 1999), which he edited. Domenici is also a supporter of the Operation Iraqi Freedom, second amendment rights, and tough Immigration reform.

External links

References

  1. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gNgpZPbjWe5tazjIrOFqLYG0j00AD8S2MFD06
  2. http://domenici.senate.gov/about/index.cfm
  3. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gNgpZPbjWe5tazjIrOFqLYG0j00AD8S2MFD06