Martin Heinrich

Martin Heinrich (born October 17, 1971, Fallon, Nevada, U.S.) American politician who was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 2012 and began representing New Mexico in that body the following year. He previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives (2009–13).

Though born in Nevada, Heinrich grew up in Cole Camp, Missouri, where his father took a job as a telephone lineman and his mother worked in an auto-supply factory. The first member of his family to attend college, Heinrich earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Missouri in 1995. During that time Heinrich married, and he and his wife, Julie, later had two children. After moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico, he took a job at Phillips Laboratories (now Air Force Research Labs) at Kirtland Air Force Base. In 2001 he began graduate studies in urban planning and architecture at the University of New Mexico, but he left the following year to work for environmental advocacy groups, notably the Coalition for New Mexico Wilderness. In addition, he operated a small public affairs consulting firm.

In 2003 Heinrich successfully ran for a seat on the Albuquerque City Council, serving as president (2005–06) before stepping down in 2007. The following year he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served two terms. In 2012 Heinrich ran for the U.S. Senate and defeated three opponents in the general election. He took office the following year.

While in Congress, Heinrich earned a reputation as a progressive, championing such causes as worker rights—including an increase in the minimum wage—Native American rights, and women’s health care. He called for the government to limit domestic surveillance and notably opposed the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of Americans’ phone records. Heinrich also cosponsored legislation to promote federal and state partnerships in developing regional energy strategies.