Ray Powell (New Mexico)
Ray Powell is the former New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands. Powell served from 2011 until he was replaced by Aubrey Dunn (R) in January 2015. He previously held the office from 1994-2002. Due to term limits, he was unable to run for a third consecutive term in 2002.
Biography
A veterinarian by trade, Powell has worked with Dr. Jane Goodall and the Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research Education and Conservation. He served as president and vice-president of the 22-member Western States Land Commissioners Association from 1996-1998 and was State Land Commissioner from 1993-2002. Unable to run for a third consecutive term due to term limits, Powell went on to serve two terms as a member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Committee on Foreign Animal and Poultry Diseases before being elected again as Land Commissioner in 2010.[1]
Education
- Ph.D., veterinary medicine, Tufts University (1985)
- M.S., botany/plant ecology, University of New Mexico
- B.A., anthropology/biology, University of New Mexico
Political career
New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands (1993-2002, 2011-2015)
Powell served as New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands from January 2011 to January 2015. He previously held the position from 1993-2002.[1]
Elections
2014
Powell ran for re-election as New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands in 2014. Powell was uncontested in the primary on June 3, 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014.[2]
Results
General election
| New Mexico Land Commissioner, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Aubrey Dunn |
50.1% | 250,185 | |
| Democratic | Ray Powell Incumbent | 49.9% | 249,481 | |
| Total Votes | 499,666 | |||
| Election results via New Mexico Secretary of State | ||||
Race background
State recount
The New Mexico Secretary of State started a recount in the land commissioner's race on December 11, 2014. Challenger Aubrey Dunn (R) won the initial vote by a small margin over incumbent Ray Powell (D). State law requires a recount if the difference between the top two candidates for a seat is one-half of 1 percent. Powell initially challenged how state officials would test ballots prior to the recount, but dropped an appeal to the New Mexico Supreme Court after an agreement was reached over ballot testing. This was the first statewide recount since a 2008 law instituted the automatic recall requirement.[3] Dunn maintained his lead following the recount's completion on December 16, confirming his victory over Powell.[4]
2010
Powell won election as New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands on November 2, 2010.
| Commissioner of Public Lands, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Ray Bennett Powell |
52.4% | 308,033 | |
| Republican | Matthew D. Rush | 47.6% | 279,664 | |
| Total Votes | 587,697 | |||
| Election results via New Mexico Secretary of State (dead link)' | ||||
Campaign themes
2014
Powell's campaign website listed the following themes for the 2014 race:
| “ |
In just three years we have put the State Land Office back on track and have made significant progress. I have a track record of helping to create thousands of new jobs for New Mexicans, generating more money for our schools, and healing and protecting our state lands. There’s a lot more work to be done, and I’m asking for your support — our vision for what the Land Office can do for New Mexico is well underway. My Commitment
|
” |
| —Ray Powell's campaign website, (2014) | ||
Campaign contributions
The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may not represent all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer, and campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
| Ray Powell (New Mexico) campaign contribution history | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Office | Result | Contributions | |
| 2014 | New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands |  |
$270,886 | |
| 2010 | NM Commissioner of Public Lands |  |
$293,747 | |
| 2006 | NM Commissioner of Public Lands | |
$96,528 | |
| Grand total raised | $661,161 | |||
| Source: [[7] Follow the Money] | ||||
2014
Ballotpedia collects information on campaign donors for each year in which a candidate or incumbent is running for election. See the table below for more information about the campaign donors who supported Ray Powell.[8] Click [show] for more information.
| Ray Powell Campaign Contributions | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total raised | $270,886 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total raised by opponents | $370,900 (Rep) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Top 5 contributors | Barry Lang | $7,500 | |||||||||||||||||
| Theatrical Stage Employees Local 480 | $5,250 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Robert G. Armstrong | $5,200 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Southwest Leadership Fund | $5,200 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Intercontinental Potash | $5,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Individuals | $179,502 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Institutions | $91,154 ($230 other) | ||||||||||||||||||
| In-state donations | $213,972 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Out-of-state donations | $56,914 | ||||||||||||||||||
2010
Bennett won to the position of New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands in 2010. During that election cycle, Bennett raised a total of $293,747.
| New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands 2010 election - Campaign Contributions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top contributors to Ray Powell (New Mexico)'s campaign in 2010 | ||||
| Ray & Jean Powell | $27,000 | |||
| FC Covington Manager LLC | $15,000 | |||
| Conservation Voters New Mexico | $11,751 | |||
| Ray Powell | $10,300 | |||
| Jean Civikly-Powell | $10,010 | |||
| Total Raised in 2010 | $293,747 | |||
| Source:Follow the Money | ||||
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Ray + Powell + New + Mexico + Resources"
See also
External links
- New Mexico State Land Office
- Official campaign website
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Ray Powell on Facebook
- Ray Powell on Twitter
- Campaign contributions: 2012, 2010, 2006
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 New Mexico State Land Office, "Ray Powell, Commissioner of Public Lands, M.S., D.V.M.," access to June 11, 2013
- ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, Candidate Portal," accessed February 4, 2014
- ↑ Daily Journal, "Elections officials agree to procedure for recount in New Mexico land commissioner contest," December 9, 2014
- ↑ KOB, "Dunn wins Land Commissioner seat after recount finalized," December 16, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Ray Powell for Land Commissioner, "My Vision," accessed August 6, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, " Career campaign donations for Ray Bennett Powell," accessed June 8, 2015
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, "Home," accessed May 7, 2021
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Patrick Lyons (R) |
New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands 2011–2014 |
Succeeded by Aubrey Dunn (R) |
| ||||||||||||||
