Skeen, Joe

Joseph Richard "Joe" Skeen, a Republican sheep rancher from Picacho, was born in Roswell (Chaves County), New Mexico on June 30, 1927. He attended local public and parochial schools before graduating in 1944 from O'Dea High School, a Catholic preparatory school for young men, in Seattle, Washington. In 1950 he earned a B.S. degree in Agricultural Engineering from Texas A&M University. From 1945-1946 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and from 1949-1952, he served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Putting his engineering training to use in 1951, he worked as a soil and water engineer for Zuni Pueblo, the Ramah Navajo Indians, and the Navajo Nation before purchasing the family sheep ranching operation near Picacho (Lincoln County), New Mexico, from his grandmother. About this time, he also successfully operated a flying service out of Ruidoso, New Mexico.

Energetic and enthusiastic, Skeen represented his neighbors in the New Mexico State Senate from 1960-1970, serving six of those years as Republican leader. During this decade, he consistently served as a delegate to State Republican Conventions and, in 1964, as a delegate to the Republican National Convention. From 1962-1965 he held the powerful position of New Mexico Republican Party Chairman. Among his many legislative interests over this decade can be counted the improvement of mine safety in the state, and advancements in agriculture, aviation, and transportation. In addition, a significant legislative effort by State Senator Skeen led to the first major overhaul of the state's corrections system.

In 1970, Skeen became the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor and campaigned along with gubernatorial hopeful, Pete V. Domenici. The candidates lost this election, but both eventually secured Congressional seats. In 1974, against Jerry Apodaca, and in 1978, against Bruce King, Skeen ran as the Republican party's gubernatorial candidate. He lost both elections by the slimmest of margins--less than 1%. Not one to be discouraged by political defeat, Skeen continued to be active in party and state politics.

By 1980, New Mexico's Second Congressional District was represented by popular Democrat Harold "Mud" Runnels, who was running unopposed in the general election. His untimely death from a heart attack in August--just before the elections--left a ballot position vacant. Despite a rule in the U.S. Constitution that required a special election to fill a vacancy in the House of Representatives, Governor Bruce King refused to call one. Instead, he had the name of his nephew, David King, placed on the ballot to replace Runnels in that election. The Republican Party countered by nominating Joe Skeen as its candidate. Skeen carried the constitutional question for the Republicans to the New Mexico District Court, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, and eventually to the U.S. Supreme Court. After a lengthy hearing, the Supreme Court denied him a place on the ballot. Skeen, however, intensified his write-in campaign despite pressure from friends and party politicos to drop out of the race. On November 4, 1980, Skeen emerged victorious by significant margins over David King and Dorothy Runnels, the widow of the former Congressman who had also initiated a write-in campaign after being denied the nomination by the Democrats. Skeen's election was history making in that it marked only the third time in American history that a write-in candidate had been elected to Congress.The first two write-in candidates to reach Congressional offices were, Strom Thurmond from North Carolina in 1954, and Dale Alford from Arkansas in 1958. Since Skeen's historic election, Congressman Ron Packard of California won election on a write-in ballot in November 1982. Moreover, it was the first time a major New Mexico office had been won on write-in votes.

New Mexico's Second Congressional District is geographically huge and very diverse. During Skeen's tenure, it was one of the largest districts in the continental United States (fifth), bordering three states (Arizona, Colorado, Texas), and Mexico. Of the three districts in New Mexico, the 2nd encompassed a complex myriad of interests that became priorities for Congressman Skeen. Farming, ranching, rural economic development, states' rights, mining, oil and gas, veterans issues, military bases, scientific installations, wildlife sanctuaries, national forests, Native Americans and water, private property rights, balanced government budgets, and less intrusive government, as well as transnational issues, all vied for his attention. By 1981, Congressman Skeen was a member of the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Science and Technology. In 1985 he became a member of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations. When Republicans gained control of the House in 1994/95, Skeen was appointed Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture. He also served on the National Security Appropriations Subcommittee, and by 2001 he rotated in as Chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee which oversaw the budget for national parks, federal land agencies, and government Indian programs--all very important to New Mexico's interests and constituents.

Congressman Skeen's friendly manner worked easily with his commitments to constituents as he stayed focused on fair and equitable tax structures for working families and business, a balanced national budget, fair treatment for retirees and the aged, gun control, judicial reform and crime control, and improved education and technology initiatives. He maintained a strong pro-business bent with regard to labor, championed a strong national defense, and promoted foreign aid that countered the growth of non-democratic governments. Congressman Skeen was frequently honored over the years for his legislative activism and support. For many consecutive years, he earned the Golden Bulldog Award for his efforts to cut federal spending, eliminate waste, and reduce the national deficit. His other honors include the National Federation of Independent Business' Guardian of Small Business Award, and the Spirit of Enterprise Award given by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for his pro-business voting record. In 1990, the highest honor bestowed by the American Farm Bureau Federation, The Golden Plow Award, was presented to Congressman Skeen.

The first two write-in candidates to reach Congressional offices were, Strom Thurmond from North Carolina in 1954, and Dale Alford from Arkansas in 1958. Since Skeen's historic election, Congressman Ron Packard of California won election on a write-in ballot in November 1982. Through the years, Congressman Skeen maintained memberships in the New Mexico Wool and Cattle Growers Associations, the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau, the Conquistador Council/Boy Scouts of America, and the Fraternal Orders of Elks and Eagles. He married the former Mary Helen Jones in 1945, and they became the proud parents of two children, Lisa and Mike. They have three grandchildren. In 1997 Skeen announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease which slowed his pace over the last few years. However, he still maintained one of the highest voting records in Congress (98%-100%) over his last few years. Congressman Skeen retired from public service in 2003 and returned to the family's 15,000 acre sheep ranch near Picacho, New Mexico. His congressional papers were committed to New Mexico Tech in July of 2002, to be housed at the Joseph R. Skeen Library.

From the guide to the Joseph R. Skeen Papers, 1972-2003 (bulk 1981-2002), (New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.)