1974 New Mexico gubernatorial election
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 County results Apodaca: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Skeen: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 1974 New Mexico gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1974, in order to elect the Governor of New Mexico. Due to term limits, incumbent Democrat Bruce King was ineligible to seek a second term as governor. Democrat Jerry Apodaca narrowly defeated Republican Joe Skeen. This election saw Hidalgo County vote for a Republican gubernatorial candidate for the first time ever.
Primary election
Democratic primary
The Democratic primary was won by state senator Jerry Apodaca.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jerry Apodaca | 45,477 | 30.58% | |
| Democratic | Tibo J. Chavez | 35,090 | 23.61% | |
| Democratic | Odis Echols | 25,760 | 17.33% | |
| Democratic | Bobby M. Mayfield | 22,806 | 15.35% | |
| Democratic | Drew Cloud | 12,707 | 8.55% | |
| Democratic | Boston Witt | 6,798 | 4.57% | |
| Total votes | 148,636 | 100.00% | ||
Republican primary
The Republican primary was won by former state senator Joe Skeen.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joe Skeen | 28,227 | 55.43% | |
| Republican | John P. Eastham | 15,003 | 29.46% | |
| Republican | James L. Hughes | 4,758 | 9.34% | |
| Republican | Walter E. Bruce | 2,913 | 5.72% | |
| Republican | Scattering | 26 | 0.05% | |
| Total votes | 50,927 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jerry Apodaca | 164,172 | 49.94% | −1.32% | |
| Republican | Joe Skeen | 160,430 | 48.80% | +2.43% | |
| American Independent | Gene Gonzales | 4,140 | 1.24% | ||
| Scattering | 78 | 0.02% | |||
| Majority | 3,742 | 1.14% | |||
| Total votes | 328,742 | 100.00% | |||
| Democratic hold | Swing | -3.75% | |||
Results by county
| County | Jerry Apodaca Democratic |
Joe Skeen Republican |
Gene Gonzales AIP |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Bernalillo | 49,287 | 45.65% | 56,799 | 52.61% | 1,820 | 1.69% | -7,512 | -6.96% | 107,960[a] |
| Catron | 433 | 40.73% | 617 | 58.04% | 13 | 1.22% | -184 | -17.31% | 1,063 |
| Chaves | 5,068 | 34.04% | 9,744 | 65.44% | 75 | 0.50% | -4,676 | -31.40% | 14,890[b] |
| Colfax | 1,909 | 46.87% | 2,128 | 52.25% | 34 | 0.83% | -219 | -5.38% | 4,073[c] |
| Curry | 2,828 | 35.83% | 5,014 | 63.53% | 50 | 0.63% | -2,186 | -27.70% | 7,892 |
| De Baca | 428 | 41.88% | 588 | 57.53% | 6 | 0.59% | -160 | -15.66% | 1,022 |
| Doña Ana | 11,511 | 55.49% | 9,007 | 43.42% | 225 | 1.08% | 2,504 | 12.07% | 20,745[c] |
| Eddy | 7,162 | 52.08% | 6,517 | 47.39% | 74 | 0.54% | 645 | 4.69% | 13,753 |
| Grant | 4,117 | 54.25% | 3,395 | 44.74% | 77 | 1.01% | 722 | 9.51% | 7,589 |
| Guadalupe | 1,550 | 71.40% | 606 | 27.91% | 15 | 0.69% | 944 | 43.48% | 2,171 |
| Harding | 254 | 41.23% | 360 | 58.44% | 2 | 0.32% | -106 | -17.21% | 616 |
| Hidalgo | 629 | 47.19% | 688 | 51.61% | 16 | 1.20% | -59 | -4.43% | 1,333 |
| Lea | 4,389 | 39.48% | 6,666 | 59.96% | 62 | 0.56% | -2,277 | -20.48% | 11,117 |
| Lincoln | 1,168 | 35.95% | 2,049 | 63.07% | 31 | 0.95% | -881 | -27.12% | 3,249[d] |
| Los Alamos | 2,640 | 39.41% | 3,932 | 58.70% | 126 | 1.88% | -1,292 | -19.29% | 6,699[d] |
| Luna | 2,005 | 43.25% | 2,578 | 55.61% | 53 | 1.14% | -573 | -12.36% | 4,636 |
| McKinley | 5,019 | 60.87% | 3,021 | 36.64% | 206 | 2.50% | 1,998 | 24.23% | 8,246 |
| Mora | 1,516 | 62.52% | 902 | 37.20% | 7 | 0.29% | 614 | 25.32% | 2,425 |
| Otero | 4,167 | 47.60% | 4,478 | 51.15% | 109 | 1.25% | -311 | -3.55% | 8,754 |
| Quay | 1,609 | 42.20% | 2,174 | 57.02% | 30 | 0.79% | -565 | -14.82% | 3,813 |
| Rio Arriba | 7,210 | 78.10% | 1,974 | 21.38% | 48 | 0.52% | 5,236 | 56.72% | 9,232 |
| Roosevelt | 1,912 | 36.44% | 3,296 | 62.82% | 39 | 0.74% | -1,384 | -26.38% | 5,247 |
| San Juan | 5,855 | 40.42% | 8,382 | 57.86% | 249 | 1.72% | -2,527 | -17.44% | 14,487[d] |
| San Miguel | 5,495 | 69.33% | 2,354 | 29.70% | 77 | 0.97% | 3,141 | 39.63% | 7,926 |
| Sandoval | 4,069 | 61.07% | 2,476 | 37.16% | 116 | 1.74% | 1,593 | 23.91% | 6,663[c] |
| Santa Fe | 14,154 | 64.15% | 7,706 | 34.92% | 193 | 0.87% | 6,448 | 29.22% | 22,065[e] |
| Sierra | 924 | 37.33% | 1,514 | 61.17% | 37 | 1.49% | -590 | -23.84% | 2,475 |
| Socorro | 2,420 | 58.41% | 1,689 | 40.77% | 34 | 0.82% | 731 | 17.64% | 4,143 |
| Taos | 4,618 | 73.30% | 1,635 | 25.95% | 47 | 0.75% | 2,983 | 47.35% | 6,300 |
| Torrance | 1,152 | 44.39% | 1,415 | 54.53% | 28 | 1.08% | -263 | -10.13% | 2,595 |
| Union | 783 | 38.74% | 1,206 | 59.67% | 32 | 1.58% | -423 | -20.93% | 2,021 |
| Valencia | 7,891 | 58.27% | 5,520 | 40.76% | 131 | 0.97% | 2,371 | 17.51% | 13,542 |
| Total | 164,172 | 49.94% | 160,430 | 48.80% | 4,062 | 1.24% | 3,742 | 1.14% | 328,742 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
Notes
References
- ^ a b Richard M. Scammon. America Votes 11, A Handbook of Contemporary American Election Statistics. p. 224. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
- ^ New Mexico State Records Center & Archives, Canvass of Returns of General Election Held on November 5, 1974 - State of New Mexico
