Background
King, Bruce was born on April 6, 1924 in Stanley, New Mexico, United States. Son of William and Molly (Schooler) King.
King, Bruce was born on April 6, 1924 in Stanley, New Mexico, United States. Son of William and Molly (Schooler) King.
After the war, he attended the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He served three terms as the governor of the state of New Mexico. He served in the United States. Army during World World War World War II King"s career in politics began when he was elected to the Santa Fe Board of County Commissioners in 1954. He was re-elected and served as the chairman of the board during his second term.
In 1959, he was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives.
He served five consecutive terms in the House and during three of his terms he was Speaker of the House. From 1968 to 1969, King was chairman of the state Democratic Party.
In 1969, he was also the president of the State Constitutional Convention. In 1970, King was elected as governor, defeating Republican Pete Domenici.
He served as the 23rd, 25th and 28th from 1971 until 1975, 1979 until 1983 and from 1991 until 1995.
His terms were non-consecutive because the New Mexico constitution did not allow governors to succeed themselves prior to 1991, due to term limits. King became the first governor who could succeed himself after the term limit laws were changed to two and ran for re-election in 1994, but was defeated for a fourth term by Republican businessman Gary Johnson. King was severely criticized by writer Roger Morris in The Devil"s Butcher Shop: The New Mexico Prison Uprising for his mishandling of the 1980 New Mexico State Penitentiary Riot, which led to the deaths of 33 inmates, although other estimates are higher.
lieutenant is suggested in this work that the corruption and brutality tolerated under King"s administration were contributing factors to the high level of violence in the riot.
Member Governor's Task Force on Education, 1968. Member vice president New Mexico Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Member steering committee Education Commission States, 1971.
Chairman Four Corners Regional Commission, 1972, National Oil and Gas Compact Commission, 1973. Vice chairman Western Governor's Conference, 1973, chairman, 1974. Member national advisory committee Democratic Party.
Chairman New Mexico Democrats, 1966. Board directors Edgewood Soil Conversation Commission With Field Artillery, Army of the United States, 1944-1946, PTO. Member of Northern New Mexico Fair Association, Cattle Growers Association, Farm & Livestock Bureau.
Married Alice Marie Martin, June 1, 1947 (deceased December 7, 2008). Children: Bill, Gary.