By Joel M. Carson
On Dec. 2, New Mexico and the nation lost a legend, Robert O. Anderson. Although many knew Mr. Anderson as a captain of industry and a legend in the oil and gas business, his role as an active and effective participant in American politics is less known.
Mr. Anderson established roots in Southern New Mexico in 1941, when he acquired a minority interest in a small refinery in Artesia. From that date until his death, Mr. Anderson made New Mexico his home.
Many will not know that Mr. Anderson ran unsuccessfully as the Republican nominee for a seat in the New Mexico House of Representatives in 1948. In that race he was defeated by Morgan Nelson, a well-known democrat in the Pecos Valley (Incidentally, in those days, Democrats far outnumbered Republicans in Southeast New Mexico).
He continued to remain active in New Mexico politics, serving on the campaign and finance committees for numerous candidates for public office. Mr. Anderson served as New Mexico’s Republican national committeeman from 1968-1972. He advised and served New Mexico Govs. Campbell, Bolack, Cargo, Carruthers, Johnson, Richardson and others. He hosted GOP barbeques at his ranch for presidents and New Mexico politicos.
Mr. Anderson was an adviser and friend to several presidents, including Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. On two occasions, New Mexico governors asked him to accept appointments to the U.S. Senate when the current senator could not fulfill his term. The then-president of the United States twice asked Anderson to be the ambassador to Great Britain and once offered him the position of secretary of the treasury. He served as the chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Texas from 1961-1965 and developed a life long interest in monetary policy.
In addition to his role in national politics, Mr. Anderson served several New Mexico governors in numerous capacities. He served on the Board of Regents for New Mexico State University and New Mexico Tech, which, in 1994, named him a distinguished professor in the Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Energy. He was honored when the University of New Mexico chose to have its business school carry his name.
Although a lifelong Republican, Mr. Anderson resisted partisanship over the need for sound public policy. His ability to work with diverse points of view is evidenced by the fact that he served on the National Petroleum Council under every U.S. president beginning with Truman and continuing through George W. Bush.
His bipartisan work on the council may ultimately prove to be role in which he most influenced our nation’s public policy. In that role, and through his entrepreneurial endeavors, Mr. Anderson advanced his vision of American energy independence. He was responsible for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline after his discovery and development of the Prudhoe Bay Field, which continues to be a model for environmentally responsible oil and gas development in North America.
New Mexico has lost a valuable friend and advocate. New Mexico grew with the unselfish and bipartisan Republican working for six decades to build our economy. However, Robert O. Anderson’s influence will live on through the many causes he helped to advance.
Joel M. Carson is a partner in the Roswell office of Hinkle, Hensley, Shanor & Martin, L.L.P. He is a member of the executive committee for the Republican Party of New Mexico and is a former chairman of the Republican Party of Chaves County.
By Joel M. Carson