Heinrich, Martin, 1971-

Martin Trevor Heinrich (/ˈhaɪnrɪk/; born October 17, 1971) is an American politician and businessman serving as the senior United States senator from New Mexico, a seat he has held since 2013. A native of Fallon, Nevada, Heinrich lived much of his adulthood in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and currently resides in Silver Spring, Maryland. As a member of the Democratic Party, he was the U.S. representative for New Mexico's 1st congressional district from 2009 to 2013. He then won the Senate seat vacated by retiring Senator Jeff Bingaman in 2012. Heinrich was mentioned as a possible nominee for Vice President of the United States in 2016 under Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. He is the dean of New Mexico's congressional delegation.

Martin Trevor Heinrich was born in Fallon, near Carson City, Nevada. He is the son of Shirley A. (née Bybee), a seamstress, and Pete C. Heinrich, a utility company lineman. His father was born in Waldenburg, Germany, as Heinrich Peter Karl Cordes and later took his stepfather Olaf Heinrich's surname. When he was naturalized as an American citizen in 1955, he changed his name again to Pete Carl Heinrich. Raised as a Lutheran, Martin Heinrich grew up in Cole Camp, Missouri. He attended public schools in Cole Camp, then moved to Columbia, Missouri, in 1989 to attend the University of Missouri. He graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. He left Missouri for Albuquerque to take graduate courses at the University of New Mexico.

After a brief stint doing mechanical drawings,[5] Heinrich worked as an AmeriCorps fellow in New Mexico.

From 1996 to 2001 Heinrich served as executive director of the Cottonwood Gulch Foundation, a New Mexico nonprofit organization dedicated to educating young people on natural science and the environment. In 2002 he founded his own public affairs consulting firm.

Heinrich served on the Albuquerque City Council from 2004 to 2008, including one term as city council president in 2006. As a city councilman, he said his goals were to reduce crime, raise the minimum wage and create new jobs. He also advocated the use of wind and solar power.

In February 2006 Governor Bill Richardson appointed Heinrich to be the state's Natural Resources Trustee.