E. S. Johnny Walker Explained

E. S. Johnny Walker
Image Name:ESJohnnyWalker.jpg
State:New Mexico
District:at-large
Term Start:January 3, 1965
Term End:January 3, 1969
Preceded:Joseph Montoya
Succeeded:District abolished
Office1:14th and 16th New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands
Term Start1:January 1, 1961
Term End1:January 1, 1965
Governor1:Edwin L. Mechem
Tom Bolack
Predecessor1:Murray E. Morgan
Successor1:Guyton B. Hays
Term Start2:January 1, 1953
Term End2:January 1, 1957
Governor2:Edwin L. Mechem
John F. Simms
Predecessor2:Guy Shepard
Successor2:Murray E. Morgan
Office3:Member of the New Mexico House of Representatives
Term Start3:1948
Term End3:1952
Party:Democratic
Birth Date:18 June 1911
Birth Place:Fulton, Kentucky
Death Place:Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Alma Mater:University of New Mexico
George Washington University
Serviceyears:1942–1945
Battles:World War II

E. S. Johnny Walker (June 18, 1911 – October 8, 2000) was an American World War II veteran and politician who served two terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1965 to 1969.

Early life and education

Walker was born in Fulton, Kentucky, and attended public schools there until his family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1926. He graduated from Albuquerque High School and attended the University of New Mexico and George Washington University.

World War II

In 1942, he enlisted in the United States Army and served during the Second World War in the North African and European Theaters of operation until the end of the war. He was discharged in 1945.

Career

Walker was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 1948. Walker also served as majority whip. His most notable accomplishment in the State Legislature was sponsoring legislation to allow women to serve on juries.

In 1952, he was elected as New Mexico's New Mexico commissioner of public lands, served two consecutive two-year terms in that office,[1] and then was made commissioner of the New Mexico Bureau of Revenue. In 1960, he was elected commissioner of public lands for two more consecutive two-year terms.

Congress

In 1964, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives by the state's voters to the seat previously held by Joseph Montoya, who successfully ran for the Senate that year. He served two terms in Congress, during which he was a member on the United States House Committee on Armed Services. He sponsored legislation that created Pecos National Monument.

Defeat and post-Congress

In 1968, New Mexico drew congressional districts for the first time, and its two representatives were no longer elected at large. Walker's home was placed in New Mexico's 2nd congressional district, which included most of the southern half of the state as well as a small portion of Albuquerque. Walker had lost a lot of goodwill in this part of the state because of his support of gun control and the Pentagon's closure of Walker Air Force Base near Roswell which Walker adamantly opposed. Ed Foreman, a former congressman from Texas, ran the most expensive campaign seen in New Mexico history to that point, and defeated Walker in November 1968 by a mere half point margin.

Walker remained minimally involved in state politics, but did not seek elected office.

Personal life

Walker died of leukemia in Albuquerque at the age of 89. Senator Jeff Bingaman honored his memory on the Senate floor.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Book: State of New Mexico. Kathryn A. Flynn. Diana J. Duran. 2012 Centennial Blue Book. July 2012. Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. 233–234. 2013-04-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924103924/http://www.sos.state.nm.us/Public_Records_And_Publications/NMCentennialBlueBook.pdf. 2015-09-24. dead.
  2. Web site: DEATH OF E.S. JOHNNY WALKER -- (Senate - October 11, 2000) . Library of Congress Congressional Record . August 14, 2021 . December 10, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191210101609/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r106%3A2%3A.%2Ftemp%2F~r106URMnu2%3A%3A . dead .