# Jim Baca

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American politician from New Mexico

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Jim Baca 27th Mayor of Albuquerque In office December 1, 1997 – November 30, 2001 Preceded by Martin Chávez Succeeded by Martin Chávez 12th Director of the Bureau of Land Management In office May 19, 1993 – February 3, 1994 President Bill Clinton Preceded by Cy Jamison Succeeded by Patrick Shea 21st and 23rd New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands In office January 1, 1991 – May 19, 1993 Governor Bruce King Preceded by W. R. Humphries Succeeded by Ray Powell In office January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1987 Governor Toney Anaya Preceded by Alex J. Armijo Succeeded by W. R. Humphries Personal details Born (1945-09-06) September 6, 1945 (age 80) Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. Party Democratic

**James R. Baca** (born September 6, 1945) is an [American](/source/Americans) politician from [New Mexico](/source/New_Mexico). A member of the [Democratic Party](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)), Baca served twice as [New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands](/source/New_Mexico_Commissioner_of_Public_Lands) from 1983 to 1987 and from 1991 to 1993 and as 27th [mayor of Albuquerque](/source/List_of_Mayors_of_Albuquerque) from 1997 to 2001.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Career

### Bureau of Land Management

In 1993, Baca was appointed [Director of the](/source/Bureau_of_Land_Management#Directors) [Bureau of Land Management](/source/Bureau_of_Land_Management) in [the administration of](/source/Presidency_of_Bill_Clinton) [Bill Clinton](/source/Bill_Clinton), but was fired the next year amidst tensions with [United States Secretary of the Interior](/source/United_States_Secretary_of_the_Interior) [Bruce Babbitt](/source/Bruce_Babbitt) and [Western](/source/Western_United_States) state governors.[1][2]

### Campaigns

Baca had run unsuccessfully for [mayor of Albuquerque](/source/List_of_Mayors_of_Albuquerque) and the [United States House of Representatives](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives) in 1985 and 1988, respectively.[3] He challenged incumbent Governor [Bruce King](/source/Bruce_King) in the [1994 Democratic gubernatorial primary](/source/New_Mexico_gubernatorial_election%2C_1994), but came third behind King and Lieutenant Governor [Casey Luna](/source/Casey_Luna).

### Mayor of Albuquerque

He was elected [mayor of Albuquerque](/source/List_of_Mayors_of_Albuquerque) in 1997, but in his re-election bid he finished a distant fourth place in the [2001 mayoral election](/source/Albuquerque_mayoral_election%2C_2001), won by his predecessor [Martin Chávez](/source/Martin_Ch%C3%A1vez). He ran to reclaim his previous position as Public Lands Commissioner in 2006, narrowly winning the Democratic primary against [Ray Powell](/source/Ray_Powell_(New_Mexico_politician)) (who had succeeded him in that office in 1993), but losing the general election to incumbent [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) Lands Commissioner [Patrick H. Lyons](/source/Patrick_H._Lyons).[3] He then served as state Natural Resource Trustee until his retirement in 2009.[4]

As Mayor of Albuquerque, Baca also made an effort to lure the Canadian minor league baseball team the [Calgary Cannons](/source/Calgary_Cannons) to Albuquerque with promises of a new $28 million stadium.[5] The effort succeeded and the team was renamed The [Albuquerque Isotopes](/source/Albuquerque_Isotopes). The move became part of the basis of a 2001 episode of *[The Simpsons](/source/The_Simpsons)*, titled "[Hungry, Hungry Homer](/source/Hungry%2C_Hungry_Homer)," which features the owners of the Springfield Isotopes attempted to move their team to Albuquerque.[6][5]

## See also

- [Baca family of New Mexico](/source/Baca_family_of_New_Mexico)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["BLM chief Jim Baca leaves amidst cheers and boos"](http://www.hcn.org/issues/4/100). *High Country News*. February 21, 1994. Retrieved November 4, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Jim Baca says the Department of Interior is in deep trouble"](http://www.hcn.org/issues/4/101). *High Country News*. February 21, 1994. Retrieved November 4, 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Our_Campaigns_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Our_Campaigns_3-1) ["Our Campaigns - Jim Baca"](http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=101356). Retrieved November 4, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Baca steps down as natural resources trustee"](http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2009/12/21/daily18.html). *Albuquerque Business First*. December 22, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-cbc.ca_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-cbc.ca_5-1) ["Calgary Cannons readying for move south | CBC Sports"](https://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/calgary-cannons-readying-for-move-south-1.265733).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-cbcmoveteam_6-0)** ["ABQjournal: Homer Hits Home in Albuquerque"](https://www.abqjournal.com/quirky/isotopes03-06-01.htm). *www.abqjournal.com*. Retrieved September 30, 2020.

- [Fray Angélico Chávez](/source/Fray_Ang%C3%A9lico_Ch%C3%A1vez), [*Origins of New Mexico Families: A Genealogy of the Spanish Colonial Period*](/source/Origins_of_New_Mexico_Families), rev. ed. (Santa Fe: Museum of New Mexico, 1992)

## External links

- [Only in New Mexico](http://onlyinnewmexico.blogspot.com/) – Baca's blog

- [Appearances](https://www.c-span.org/person/?56373) on [C-SPAN](/source/C-SPAN)

Party political offices Preceded by Alex J. Armijo Democratic nominee for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands 1982, 1986, 1990 Succeeded by Ray Powell Preceded by Art Trujillo Democratic nominee for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands 2006 Political offices Preceded by Alex J. Armijo New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1987 Succeeded by W. R. Humphries Preceded by W. R. Humphries New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands January 1, 1991 – May 19, 1993 Succeeded by Ray Powell Preceded by Martin Chávez Mayor of Albuquerque December 1, 1997 – November 30, 2001 Succeeded by Martin Chávez Government offices Preceded by Cy Jamison Director of the Bureau of Land Management May 19, 1993 – February 3, 1994 Succeeded by Patrick Shea

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