Governor Bruce King was laid to rest alongside his beloved wife Alice in his hometown of Moriarty, and near the ranch he loved. He was our longest-serving governor, staying in office for an unprecedented three terms. He was an honest decent man, homespun and genuine in his care and concern for his constituents.
I first met Bruce when he was serving as governor, getting an appointment to speak to him about his support for the Equal Rights Amendment. I was ushered into his office and there he was, bigger than life, pushed back in his gubernatorial chair, cowboy hat pushed to the back on his head, and his well-worn cowboy boots on top of the beautiful marble desk in front of him.
He was on the phone, motioned for me to sit down until after he finished talking. I heard the western twang in his speech and thought to myself, being originally from New York City, that if he were walking down 42nd Street and Broadway in that cowboy getup he would be targeted as a hick from the sticks, and somebody would surely come up to him and try to sell him the Brooklyn Bridge.
But don’t let that fool you. Bruce King has an “aw shucks,” unpretentious manner, but there was nothing dumb about him. He was a shrewd rancher, businessman and politician who could persuade without being pushy, never forgot a face or a name, and always greeted you with an outstretched hand, saying “How you doin’?” in that down-home way.
He worked for the common good. Yes, there were mistakes in his administration, but pay to play, corruption, conflicts of interest and feathering his own nest was something you did not hear in conjunction with his administration.
During the 1988 Democratic National Convention, I was lucky enough to be elected as a delegate. This was my entrée into the political arena, which was an exciting experience. Bruce and Alice led the New Mexico delegation, and President Jimmy Carter and Rosalind invited us to lunch at the Carter House.
President Carter extolled Governor King, told us that it was Bruce, whom he had met at the governor’s conference, who had persuaded him to run for president. Bruce was Cater’s mentor, helping him to get up the political and financial support needed for his campaign. Bill Clinton always gave credit to Bruce, who also mentored and urged him to run for president.
Standing firm
And then there was the time when there as attempt to rescind the Equal Rights Amendment. Bruce had been a strong supporter. Although it did not become an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the amendment did pass in New Mexico, striking down about 40 laws that discriminated against both men and women.
The passage of the ERA in New Mexico gave women the right to will their half of the community property in the event of their death; the right for girls to attend New Mexico Military Institute, formally an all-boys school; and the right for men to have custody of their children if they were the better parent.
There was great pressure on Bruce to rescind the ERA, both nationally and in the state, from church groups, some citizens and legislators. When the legislation to rescind it got to his desk, he vetoed it, infuriating some of our legislators. One of them from Doña Ana County was so outraged by the veto that he sent Bruce two walnuts and a bra to show his disapproval and disdain.
Bruce never wavered in his support for those things he knew were right for the people of his beloved state. He was not a polished, well-spoken man, but he knew how to get his point across. Who could forget that when he was making his point publicly, Alice would quietly tug on his coat sleeve to let him know he was talking too much?
I know somewhere up in the sky — reunited with his beloved wife Alice, riding his horse into the sunset, and extending his hand to St. Peter, saying “How you doin’?” — Bruce is watching over us. He wasn’t perfect, but I will always remember his western twang as he reached out to meet and greet people and ask how they were doing. Not too good right now, Bruce, but we will go on as a state and a nation, and remember you with love, respect and affection. Rest well my cowboy friend.
Williams is a Democratic activist. She is perhaps best known today for being the whistleblower in the housing authority scandal.