Raúl Torrez
32nd Attorney General of New Mexico
Assumed office
January 1, 2023
GovernorMichelle Lujan Grisham
Preceded byHector Balderas
District Attorney of Bernalillo County
In office
January 1, 2017 – January 1, 2023
Preceded byKari Brandenburg
Succeeded bySam Bregman
Personal details
Born (1976-07-24) July 24, 1976
Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseNasha
Children2
EducationHarvard University (AB)
London School of Economics (MS)
Stanford University (JD)

Raúl Torrez (born July 24, 1976)[1][2] is an American lawyer and politician from New Mexico. A member of the Democratic Party, Torrez is the Attorney General of New Mexico.

Early life and education

Torrez's father, Presiliano Torrez, was a federal prosecutor and his mother taught Spanish at Sandia Preparatory School. He graduated from Sandia Prep, and then attended Harvard University, where he graduated cum laude[3] with a Bachelor of Arts in government. He earned a Master of Science in international political economy from the London School of Economics,[4] and then worked for the Cesar Chavez Foundation in Los Angeles before attending Stanford Law School, earning his Juris Doctor.[3][4]

Career

After graduating from law school in 2005, Torrez became an assistant district attorney in Valencia County, New Mexico. The next year, he took a job in the office of the New Mexico attorney general. In 2008, Torrez was chief counsel to Ben Luján, the speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives, and then he served as a White House Fellow in the class of 2009–2010 during the presidency of Barack Obama.[3][5] He returned to Albuquerque to work in the United States attorney's office and operated a solo law firm.[3]

Torrez won the Democratic Party nomination for district attorney of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, in 2016. He won the general election without opposition from a Republican.[6][7]

Attorney general of New Mexico

With Hector Balderas unable to run for reelection as New Mexico Attorney General in the 2022 election due to term limits, Torrez announced his candidacy to succeed him in May 2021.[8] Torrez won the Democratic nomination, defeating New Mexico State Auditor Brian Colón,[9] and faced Republican Jeremy Gay.[10] Torrez defeated Gay in the general election.[11]

Personal life

Torrez's wife, Nasha, is also an attorney and is a dean at the University of New Mexico.[3] They have two children.[4]

Electoral history

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2022 New Mexico Attorney General election[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Raúl Torrez 388,592 55.3
Republican Jeremy Gay 314,023 44.6
Total votes 702,615 100.0

References

  1. ↑ Haywood, Phaedra (October 12, 2022). "Approach to Crime Divides Attorney General Candidates". The Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Raúl Torrez on Facebook". Facebook. July 24, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Walz, Kent (September 8, 2018). "'Remember who you're fighting for' - Albuquerque Journal". Abqjournal.com. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "Torrez: Willingness to ruffle feathers is an asset, not a liability - Albuquerque Journal". Abqjournal.com. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  5. ↑ "President Obama Appoints 2009-2010 Class of White House Fellows, 6-25-09". June 25, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Only one candidate for DA in Bernalillo County". The NM Political Report. September 16, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Torrez wins AG's office, continuing Democratic control - Albuquerque Journal". Abqjournal.com. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  8. ↑ "District Attorney Torrez enters AG race - Albuquerque Journal". Abqjournal.com. May 17, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Raúl Torrez wins Democratic primary for attorney general". AP News. June 8, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Raúl Torrez on what he would do as New Mexico Attorney General". Lcsun-news.com. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Raul Torrez wins New Mexico's Attorney General race". Krqe.com. November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  12. ↑ "2022 General New Mexico - Official Results". New Mexico Secretary of State.
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