Jeff Bingaman
Jesse Francis "Jeff" Bingaman, Jr. (b. October 3, 1943) was a Democratic member of the United States Senate from New Mexico. He was first elected to the Senate in 1982.
Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Bingaman was a "moderate Democratic leader."[1]
Bingaman did not run for re-election in 2012.[2][3]
Biography
Bingaman was born in El Paso, Texas. He grew up in Silver City, New Mexico. After graduating from Silver High School, Bingaman earned a B.A. in government from Harvard University in 1965. He then entered Stanford Law School, graduating in 1968.
Career
After his admission to the New Mexico bar, Bingaman commenced work as a private practice attorney alongside his wife. He also served as counsel to the New Mexico Constitutional Convention of 1969. From 1968 to 1974, Bingaman was a member of the U.S. Army Reserve.[4]
Committee assignments
U.S. Senate
2011-2012
Bingaman served on the following committees:[5]
- Committee on Armed Services
- Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
- Subcommittee on Personnel
- Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (Chairman)
- Committee on Finance
- Subcommittee on Health Care
- Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure (Chairman)
- Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness
- Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
- Subcommittee on Children and Families
- Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging
- Joint Economic Committee
Issues
Fiscal Cliff
Bingaman voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by an 89 - 8 vote on January 1, 2013.[6]
Elections
2012
Bingaman did not run for re-election in 2012. Martin Heinrich (D) defeated Heather Wilson (R) and Jon Ross Barrie (I) in the general election.
The University of Virginia's Center for Politics published an article called Sabato's Crystal Ball on March 22, 2012, detailing the eight races in the Senate in 2012 that will decide the political fate of which party will end up with control in 2013.[7] The seat rated a toss-up that the Sabato's Crystal Ball believes is most likely to end up Democratic is the Senate seat in New Mexico. The article notes that the state has generally been leaning Democratic and did not become a race with much interest until incumbent Bingaman announced he would retire rather than seek re-election in 2012.[7] The Republican challenger Heather Wilson is expected to give Republicans a "fighting chance in a tough state for them."[7]
2006
On November 7, 2006, Jeff Bingaman won re-election to the United States Senate. He defeated Allen W. McCulloch (R) and Orlin G. Cole (write-in) in the general election.[8]
| U.S. Senate, New Mexico General Election, 2006 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Jeff Bingaman |
70.6% | 394,365 | |
| Republican | Allen W. McCulloch | 29.3% | 163,826 | |
| Write-in | Orlin G. Cole | 0.1% | 359 | |
| Total Votes | 558,550 | |||
Campaign finance summary
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Analysis
Congressional staff salaries
The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Bingaman paid his congressional staff a total of $2,548,009 in 2011. He ranked 17th on the list of the lowest paid Democratic senatorial staff salaries and ranked 48th overall of the lowest paid senatorial staff salaries in 2011. Overall, New Mexico ranked 32nd in average salary for senatorial staff. The average U.S. Senate congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011.[9]
Net worth
2011
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Bingaman's net worth as of 2011 was estimated between $4,937,166 to $16,008,000. That averages to $10,472,583, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic senators in 2011 of $20,795,450. His average calculated net worth[10] decreased by 35.56% from 2010.[11]
2010
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Bingaman's net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $6,895,272 and $25,606,999. That averages to $16,251,135.50, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican senators in 2010 of $19,383,524.[12]
National Journal vote ratings
2011
- See also: National Journal vote ratings
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Bingaman ranked 25th in the liberal rankings among members of the U.S. Senate.[13]
Political positions
Voting with party
November 2011
Jeff Bingaman voted with the Democratic Party 96.5 percent of the time, which ranked 5th among the 51 Senate Democratic members as of November 2011.[14]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Jeff + Bingaman + New Mexico + Senate
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Bingaman, an Eagle Scout, and his wife Anne Kovacovich have one son.
External links
- Social media:
- Biographies:
- Political profiles:
- Financial (federal level):
- Interest group ratings:
- Issue positions:
- Public statements:
- Voting record:
- Media appearances:
- Media coverage:
Footnotes
- ↑ GovTrack, "Jeff Bingaman," accessed March 3, 2012
- ↑ Washington Post, "Bingaman won't run for Senate in 2012," February 19, 2011
- ↑ NM Politics, "Sowards announces candidacy for Senate," accessed February 18, 2012
- ↑ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "BINGAMAN, Jesse Francis, Jr. (Jeff), (1943 - )"
- ↑ Jeff Bingaman, United States Senator from New Mexico, "Committees & Responsibilities"
- ↑ U.S. Senate, "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff," accessed January 4, 2013
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Center for Politics, "Tilting the Toss Ups – the Eight Races That Will Decide the Senate" accessed April 9, 2012
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ LegiStorm, "Jeff Bingaman"
- ↑ This figure represents the total percentage growth from either 2004 (if the member entered office in 2004 or earlier) or the member's first year in office (as noted in the chart below).
- ↑ OpenSecrets, "Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), 2011," accessed February 19, 2013
- ↑ OpenSecrets, "Bingaman, (D-New Mexico), 2010"
- ↑ National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: House," accessed February 23, 2012
- ↑ OpenCongress, "Voting With Party," accessed July 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Harrison Schmitt |
United States Senate - New Mexico 1983–Present |
Succeeded by Martin Heinrich (D) |
| Preceded by Toney Anaya |
Attorney General of New Mexico 1979–1983 |
Succeeded by Paul Bardacke |
