Former NM Gov. Bill Richardson Dies at 75

Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, 75, died in his sleep Sept. 1 at his summer home in Chatham, Massachusetts, the Richardson Center for Global Engagement announced today.

“He lived his entire life in the service of others—including both his time in government and his subsequent career helping to free people held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad,” Richardson Center Vice President Mickey Bergman said in a statement. “There was no person that Governor Richardson would not speak with if it held the promise of returning a person to freedom. The world has lost a champion for those held unjustly abroad and I have lost a mentor and a dear friend.”

Richardson served as governor for two terms from 2003 to 2010, following 14 years in the US Congress representing the state’s 3rd Congressional District. He served US Ambassador to the United Nations from 1997 to 1998 and as Secretary of Energy under President Bill Clinton, from 1998 to 2000. In 2008, he sought the Democratic nomination for president, dropping out after Iowa and New Hampshire. His following endorsement of then-candidate Barack Obama rather than Hillary Clinton engendered a lot of commentary and backlash from Bill Clinton and others. In an interview with this writer at the time, Richardson claimed he hadn’t let it bother him too much.

" I went right into the [legislative] session,” he said. “I went right back into riding my horse. I was back doing my governor stuff, going to concerts, going to boxing matches, going to art museums. …I felt, after the race, I was satisfied. It was a little bit of a physical letdown, because you were on for 20 hours a day and all of a sudden going to 12 hours a day...”

Although he said at the time he hadn’t ruled out another run for president, that never came and he instead became well known for his work as a hostage negotiator. He founded the Richardson Center in 2011, during which time it says it has worked with more than 80 families “to provide them with guidance and support during the detention of their loved ones and to engage in ‘fringe diplomacy’ to open the doors of negotiation with foreign parties to bring home those detained.” Richardson has been nominated multiple times for the Nobel Peace Prize, including this year, 2023, when both US Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján nominated him for the prize.

In his 2013 book, How to Sweet-Talk a Shark: Strategies and Stories from a Master Negotiator, Richardson discussed his approach to negotiating, writing: “When dealing with humans, with our human foibles, human self-interest, human egos, and human error, sometimes the only option is to throw out all the options and improvise. That’s what makes negotiation so fascinating, and occasionally fun. As it is applied in real life, outside of the classroom, negotiation is about real-time compromise, about the art of the possible. It is not about finding absolute peace (Perhaps that’s why, though nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize fives times I’ve never won.)”

Richardson’s cause of death is unknown as of now. In his statement, Bergman noted that: “Right now our focus is on supporting his family, including his wife Barbara of over 50 years, who was with him when he passed. We will share further information as it becomes available.”

In a statement on Saturday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said that “New Mexico, our country, and, frankly, the entire world lost a champion today. Bill Richardson was a titan among us, fighting for the little guy, world peace, and everything in between.”

She went on to describe Richardson as “a visionary who saw the potential of our great state before so many others did. He saw us taking on Hollywood and reaching for the stars, launching both the film and space industries that continue to reap significant economic benefits today. His reputation preceded him around the globe: Bill Richardson is someone who gets things done. For my own part, Bill was a mentor and advisor who was instrumental in my own journey into elected office. He was a steadfast friend who celebrated my successes, and someone I could turn to in those moments when leading is particularly challenging.”

Both Heinrich and Luján also issued statements, with Heinrich noting that Richardson’s “ambition for our state meant he never accepted mediocrity, and always pushed us to fight for the future we deserved. I was privileged to serve in his administration [as Natural Resources Trustee] and will forever be grateful for all that he taught me.”

Luján, who also represented the state’s 3rd Congressional District, described Richardson as “a close friend…“His passing is incredibly heartbreaking for so many New Mexicans who knew and respected him. He leaves behind a legacy that will never be matched, and one that New Mexicans will always take pride in. My prayers are with Barbara, the Richardson family, and all New Mexicans. His memory will always be a blessing.”

Richardson also was no stranger to the Santa Fe Reporter during his time as governor, winning “best politician” in our annual Best of Santa Fe competition on at least two occasions.

“It’s a great honor,” he told SFR in 2008. “I’m a very fond and avid reader of the Reporter, even when you guys poke fun at me.”