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Higher Office(s) Served: Ambassador, Cabinet Secretary, Representative

BILL RICHARDSON served for 15 years as representative of New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District. He was the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 1997 and was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1998 as secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy. Richardson has been nominated several times for the Nobel Peace Prize.

In 2007 Bill Richardson was re-elected to a second term as Governor of New Mexico with the support of 69 percent of voters, winning urban and rural counties and representing the largest margin of victory for any Governor in state history. Since becoming governor in 2003, Richardson has made aggressive efforts to improve education, cut taxes, build a high-wage economy, expand health care access, invest in renewable energy and make New Mexico safer.

Over the last five years, Richardson has cut taxes for more than 500,000 working New Mexicans, invested in education with a new statewide Pre-Kindergarten program, revamped the state's higher education system, and guaranteed access to quality health care to every child under the age of five.

New Mexico continues to be a national leader in job growth and economic momentum – with more than 80,000 more New Mexicans working since Richardson took office. Under Richardson's leadership, the state has a balanced budget and the highest reserves in its history.