Patricia A. Madrid (born 1947) is an American politician and the former Attorney General for the U.S. state of New Mexico.[1] She is a member of the Democratic Party. She also sits on the bipartisan advisory board of States United Democracy Center.[2]
Madrid won her first campaign in 1978 when she became the first woman elected to sit as a district court judge in New Mexico. In 1994, she was the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico as Governor Bruce King's running mate, but lost the general election. In 1998, she became the first woman elected Attorney General of the State of New Mexico. She was re-elected in 2002.
Madrid was term limited from seeking reelection in 2006. She chose instead to run for U.S. RepresentativeinNew Mexico's 1st congressional district. She lost to Republican incumbent Heather Wilson by 875 (out of 211,000) votes. When it appeared that SenatorPete Domenici was going to run for re-election in 2008, a Wilson-Madrid rematch was considered a strong possibility, especially considering Wilson's role in the firing of US Attorney for New Mexico David Iglesias. But Domenici's poll numbers dropped as a result of the scandal, and Madrid may have considered running against him. When Domenici announced his retirement from the Senate and Wilson announced her candidacy for the open Senate seat, it appeared Madrid may have been facing a rematch with Wilson on the statewide level. When Democratic Representative Tom Udall entered the race, Madrid opted against running for the U.S. Senate.
Established a Capital Litigation Unit to provide assistance to district attorneys statewide prosecuting violent crimes and death penalty cases.
Introduced New Mexico's first state-level Crime Victim's Services Unit.
Established the Violence Against Women unit, which received a grant for over $560,000 to provide training for first responderstodomestic violence incidents in rural New Mexico.
Convicted a number of individuals for the illegal dumping of rendering plant waste near irrigation ditches in violation of the state's Water Quality Act.
