Death came to Joe Skeen Sunday evening in a Roswell hospital at the age of 76, but it came after a life that left deep footprints in the sands of New Mexico history. The man was a giant, both physically and politically. He was the only New Mexican in history to get to Congress via a write-in vote, the longest serving Congressman in state history, elected to eleven, two year terms, and he was the leader of one of only two successful overrides of a President Clinton veto.

Joe Skeen's life was written in ink.

THE EARLY YEARS
Skeen was among the last of a generation of New Mexican leaders (e.g. Bruce King, Pete Domenici) who started politics before the TV/internet age, when voters not only knew their Congressman on a first name basis, but expected to. Skeen played to his times with a well-honed personal approach that won him thousands of friends and eventually extraordinary influence in the House of Representatives where he was one its 'Cardinals,' the chairman of the key House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee from which he dispensed literally billions of dollars. It was pretty heady stuff for a sheep rancher from Lincoln County, but Skeen comported himself without arrogance and pretense. He was 'a good ol' boy' and it was that personal force, rather than a 'dot your I's and cross your t's approach' to legislation, that won him friends on Capitol Hill and in the White House.

Like many big winners in political life, Skeen started as a loser, getting beat in a 1956 Republican primary for Lincoln County Commissioner. His zest for the game was undaunted and he went on to win election to the state senate in 1960 where he served as minority leader. The catch was that there were only four Republicans in the senate. Skeen was their leader. They could have met in a phone booth, but Skeen's leadership abilities were obvious. He commanded respect on both sides of the aisle because he gave it.

In 1970, with his star on the rise, Skeen was named the GOP's pick for Lt. Governor. Now U.S. Senator Pete Domenici led the ticket. They lost to Bruce King, the only statewide loss ever for Pete, but Skeen collected himself and came back in 1974, this time leading the ticket in a hard-fought race against Democrat Jerry Apodaca. It was another heartbreaker for Skeen, losing by only a couple thousand votes to his fellow state senator. But the flame only flickered and in 1978 the state GOP rewarded the hard-charging Skeen with the GOP governor nomination yet again. This time he was again up against Democrat Bruce King, but the results were the same, another cliffhanger Election Night and another heartbreak for Skeen.

I recall the voting machines jamming in the Republican Northeast Heights of Albuquerque that day. About 100 Republican dominated precincts would not register GOP votes for part of the day. The problem was fixed, but many Skeen supporters believed he would have won the election without the incident. But he decided not to fight. Like Nixon in 1960, Skeen felt a court battle would tear the system apart and in the end would be futile. He repaired to his Picacho ranch, still wealthy and successful, but not in the roughest realm of all--La Politica.

But fate resurrected the garrulous Skeen. In 1980 Congressman Harold Runnels passed away and the Democrats nominated David King, a nephew of Bruce King from the north, to replace the southern NM Congressman. A voter rebellion of historic proportions took hold. Skeen and Runnels' widow both launched write-in campaigns against King. Skeens's startling victory in that contest catapulted him into history and elective office.

MR. SKEEN GOES TO WASHINGTON
Upon reaching the Capitol, Skeen shared office space with fellow Republican Congressman Manuel Lujan. I was in the same office at the time serving as Lujan's press secretary and was in close quarters with Skeen for a time. He was already a legend because of the write-in victory, but he was all down-home as he prepared to take up space in his own office. Skeen was gracious as he worked away at a humble staffer's desk. It soon became obvious that Skeen was a gentleman not because it was the politic thing to do, but because it was in his breeding. Working briefly near Skeen also impressed upon me his towering physical presence. He was not exceedingly tall or overweight--just big. He was a towering man, built out by nature and years of the outdoor life. He is how many in the world envision Americans: big, powerful, Western and outgoing. He wore the land in his smile and in his heart.

We wondered at the time if Skeen would truly be content as Congressman. After all, it was the governorship that had infatuated him, and at first Skeen was indeed a bit reticent in the job. But he apparently did not dwell on what could have been. "I never heard him mention those losing governor races," one close former staffer told me. "He was a lot like Reagan. The past rolled off his back. And legislatively he had much the same approach as Reagan. He was a delegator not a detail guy, a leader who told you what he wanted done and expected you to do the job." As the years went by he embraced his job fully and dedicated himself to protecting what he perceived as New Mexico's interests and enjoying his life. Every two years for eleven times Skeen stood before the voters and each time he was re-elected without much trouble. It takes a big man to to take a big man down, but on occasion, when some strong challengers did emerge, they never could close the stature gap with this genuine New Mexican.

He commanded incredible loyalty among his staff. Suzanne Eisold spent all 22 years by Skeen's side as his Chief of Staff, basically dedicating her life to his success, and so did others, too many to mention here. They called themselves the "Skeen Team." They were like super glue and they stuck. On the homefront, Mary Skeen tolerated an ever-commuting Congressional husband and kept the couple's lives on track, helping to run the ranch in Picacho and raising their family. Much of Skeen's success is owed to her patience and wisdom, but she was a traditional, out-of-the-limelight Congressional wife that the public-at-large did not know.

Skeen's job included working with the powerful Domenici, whose imposing presence was always felt by the entire NM Congressional delegation. But Skeen, perhaps more than any of his NM colleagues, commanded Domenici's respect. He brought to the table a biography of success in the business world and it added to his confidence in dealing with all comers.

He reached his zenith of Congressional power when he successfully led the override effort against a line-item veto by President Clinton of military construction projects that included several in New Mexico. It was one of only two Clinton vetoes to be overridden by the Congress and it cemented his reputation as a leading House "Cardinal." His fame in the agricultural arena was national. Today the Joe Skeen Institute for Rangeland Restoration stands at Montana State University, courtesy of the Texas A&M graduate. For New Mexico, the controversial low-level nuclear waste site, known as WIPP, was never controversial in Eddy County where it opened as a result of Skeen's legislative acumen. Today the Carlsbad area economy is closely wedded to the facility and its high paying jobs.

A NEW MEXICAN IN THE WORLD
Skeen's early inspiration in politics came from NM Governor Ed Mechem. "If he had any role model, it was Ed Mechem," a Skeen associate told me. Later, Skeen signed on with Ronald Reagan. As a reporter, I recall covering Skeen and Reagan at an ABQ news conference in the 70's, before Reagan was elected president, and where Skeen showed off his sometimes acerbic wit. In introducing the New Mexico press contingent, he told the President-to-be: "Governor, here's our press corps---such as it is!"

But if Skeen held any grudge's, he never let on in public. He was a conservative Republican, (some would say arch-conservative) who rarely veered from the party line, but his was never the politics of the personal. His critics might argue he never had to get personal because he had easy re-election campaigns, but that would be too dismissive of an era in politics where being civil mattered. Another Skeen legacy that should not slip by the wayside is integrity. Can you ever recall any serious allegation against him for misuse of funds or shady business dealings? He adhered to an ethical standard that saw him through nearly half a century of public service without a major controversy in that regard. Pretty solid stuff.

Toiling in the Republican minority for those many years on the Hill had to take its toll on Skeen. Being a backbencher is never fun, but having the patience to wait for the turn and the courage to act when it comes, is what makes a mere politician a leader. When the GOP tidal wave took hold in 94' Skeen rode it for all it was worth. Thousands of New Mexicans owe their livelihoods to his persistence.

As accomplished as his legislative record was, it is not how he will be best remembered. Skeen rose above politics to symbolize New Mexico's place as home to genuine American spirits whose attachment to the land developed a set of values that men like Skeen wore on their sleeves. Their seize-the-moment, anything-is-possible philosophy is the quintessential dynamic of a state and nation that have not even reached middle-age but lead the world.

Giants walk here. Joe Skeen was among them. New Mexico and America heard his steps.


(top photo credit: Patterson/ABQ Journal)

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2003
Not for reproduction without permission of the author