Javier Gonzales

Javier Gonzales (born 1966) is an American politician who served as the 42nd mayor of Santa Fe from 2014 to 2018. Gonzales was the city's first and only openly gay mayor. He held the office of Santa Fe County Commissioner, serving two terms. Soon after, he was elected as the first Hispanic President to the National Association of Counties. Upon assuming the Mayorship of Santa Fe, he was Chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico. He ran for mayor promising to progress equal rights, improve the educational system, diversifying the economy, promote the youth, and increase environmentalism. He voted to build the largest assisted living facility in the city on Old Pecos Trail, created a climate task force, proposed affordable housing measures, instated a cultural district to combat counterfeit art sales, and has increased internet and technological advancements for the city. He has been a vocal supporter of gun control and regulation. In 2015, he started the Santa Fe Gun Violence Table as a forum and action committee to address mass-killing prevention and to ensure the safety of citizens. Gonzales has publicly disagreed with the actions of the Governor of New Mexico, Susana Martinez, and other Republican legislators. Most notably he condemned the actions of Martinez in her opposition to accept more Syrian immigrants into the United States.