New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas
STATE News:
DES MOINES, Iowa – As momentum continues to grow for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in Iowa, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas will be supporting her candidacy at the Black and Brown Forum tonight at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
All three Democratic Presidential hopefuls, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley, will participate in the forum.
“I’m proud to stand in support of Hillary Clinton as she fights for the Democratic Presidential nomination. There are too many pressing issues facing Americans, and more specifically, minority communities that require bold leadership,” Balderas said. “Strengthening our economy, reforming the criminal justice system, and fixing a broken immigration system necessitate a plan of action that Hillary Clinton is best qualified to execute. Her proven leadership and decades of commitment to improving the lives of the voiceless in our country are just some of the reasons I believe she is the best choice to lead our nation.”
Balderas is the only Democratic elected Hispanic Attorney General in the country. He will be joined by U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-CA, for a series of events today in Des Moines prior to tonight’s forum.
About Balderas:
Hector Balderas was elected Nov. 4, 2014, as the 31st Attorney General for the State of New Mexico. He was raised by a single mother in the small village of Wagon Mound, N.M.
Balderas earned degrees from New Mexico Highlands University and the University of New Mexico Law School. He became the first person from Wagon Mound to graduate from law school and become an attorney.
After law school Balderas became a Bernalillo County Assistant District Attorney. In December 2003, he returned to Wagon Mound with his wife and three young children. Balderas ran for a seat in the New Mexico House of Representatives at age 29 and won. The New Mexico State Bar Association acknowledged Balderas for his achievements by naming him Outstanding Young Lawyer of New Mexico for 2006.
Balderas was elected New Mexico’s State Auditor in November 2006. At the time of his election, he became the youngest Hispanic statewide elected official in the country. In 2010, Balderas was awarded the New Frontier Award by the Harvard Institute of Politics and the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. The annual award is given to Americans whose contributions in elective office or community service demonstrate the impact and value of public service in the spirit of John F. Kennedy.
Balderas lives in Albuquerque with his wife Denise and their children, Hector Reyes Jr., Mariola and Arianna. He is licensed to practice law in New Mexico and is a Certified Fraud Examiner. In addition, he donates his time promoting financial literacy for at risk youth and advocating for the special needs community.
