1982 New Mexico gubernatorial election

The 1982 New Mexico gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1982 to elect the governor of New Mexico. Due to term limits, incumbent Democrat Bruce King was ineligible to seek a second consecutive (and third overall) term as governor. Democrat Toney Anaya defeated Republican state senator John B. Irick by about five points. Anaya was the first Democrat to carry Harding County in a gubernatorial election since Thomas J. Mabry in 1946.

1982 New Mexico gubernatorial election

← 1978 November 2, 1982 1986 →
 
Nominee Toney Anaya John B. Irick
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 215,840 191,626
Percentage 52.97% 47.03%

County results
Anaya:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Irick:      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election

Bruce King
Democratic

Elected Governor

Toney Anaya
Democratic

As of 2024, this is the last election in which a governor of New Mexico was succeeded by a member of the same party.

Primary election

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Democratic primary

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The Democratic primary was won by former attorney general Toney Anaya.

Results

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New Mexico Democratic gubernatorial primary, 1982[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Toney Anaya 101,077 56.95%
Democratic Aubrey Dunn, Sr. 60,866 34.29%
Democratic Fabian Chavez Jr. 11,874 6.69%
Democratic Les Houston 3,673 2.07%
Total votes 177,490 100.00%

Republican primary

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The Republican primary was won by state senator John B. Irick.

Results

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New Mexico Republican gubernatorial primary, 1982[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John B. Irick 35,789 54.56%
Republican William A. Sego 27,220 41.50%
Republican James A. Caudell 2,590 3.95%
Total votes 65,599 100.00%

General election

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Results

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1982 New Mexico gubernatorial election[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Toney Anaya 215,840 52.97% +2.42%
Republican John B. Irick 191,626 47.03% −2.42%
Majority 24,214 5.94%
Total votes 407,466 100.00%
Democratic hold Swing +4.85%

Results by county

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County Toney Anaya
Democratic
John B. Irick
Republican
Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # %
Bernalillo 72,539 52.61% 65,336 47.39% 7,203 5.22% 137,875
Catron 579 45.81% 685 54.19% -106 -8.39% 1,264
Chaves 6,074 36.35% 10,636 63.65% 4,562 27.30% 16,710
Cibola 3,665 58.34% 2,617 41.66% 1,048 16.68% 6,282
Colfax 2,655 58.01% 1,922 41.99% 733 16.01% 4,577
Curry 3,408 34.75% 6,399 65.25% -2,991 -30.50% 9,807
De Baca 472 45.34% 569 54.66% -97 -9.32% 1,041
Doña Ana 12,051 47.47% 13,337 52.53% -1,286 -5.07% 25,388
Eddy 7,798 48.69% 8,218 51.31% -420 -2.62% 16,016
Grant 5,612 59.57% 3,809 40.43% 1,803 19.14% 9,421
Guadalupe 1,647 76.21% 514 23.79% 1,133 52.43% 2,161
Harding 328 53.33% 287 46.67% 41 6.67% 615
Hidalgo 959 53.52% 833 46.48% 126 7.03% 1,792
Lea 4,548 36.16% 8,031 63.84% -3,483 -27.69% 12,579
Lincoln 1,368 34.41% 2,608 65.59% -1,240 -31.19% 3,976
Los Alamos 3,542 43.11% 4,674 56.89% -1,132 -13.78% 8,216
Luna 2,558 44.74% 3,159 55.26% -601 -10.51% 5,717
McKinley 6,911 63.15% 4,033 36.85% 2,878 26.30% 10,944
Mora 1,580 69.85% 682 30.15% 898 39.70% 2,262
Otero 4,186 39.18% 6,497 60.82% -2,311 -21.63% 10,683
Quay 1,572 43.97% 2,003 56.03% -431 -12.06% 3,575
Rio Arriba 8,145 79.97% 2,040 20.03% 6,105 59.94% 10,185
Roosevelt 1,596 32.34% 3,339 67.66% -1,743 -35.32% 4,935
San Juan 9,225 45.41% 11,092 54.59% -1,867 -9.19% 20,317
San Miguel 5,439 77.40% 1,588 22.60% 3,851 54.80% 7,027
Sandoval 7,139 59.57% 4,846 40.43% 2,293 19.13% 11,985
Santa Fe 19,737 68.80% 8,952 31.20% 10,785 37.59% 28,689
Sierra 1,550 44.64% 1,922 55.36% -372 -10.71% 3,472
Socorro 2,969 58.36% 2,118 41.64% 851 16.73% 5,087
Taos 6,121 77.26% 1,802 22.74% 4,319 54.51% 7,923
Torrance 1,881 56.78% 1,432 43.22% 449 13.55% 3,313
Union 766 39.63% 1,167 60.37% -401 -20.74% 1,933
Valencia 7,220 61.71% 4,479 38.29% 2,741 23.43% 11,699
Total 215,840 52.97% 191,626 47.03% 24,214 5.94% 407,466

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

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References

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  1. ^ "NM Governor D Primary 1982". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  2. ^ "NM Governor R Primary 1982". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  3. ^ New Mexico State Records Center & Archives, Canvass of Returns of General Election Held on November 2, 1982 - State of New Mexico