Ramona Chinchillas-Wolfe

**Ramona Alejandra Chinchillas-Wolfe** (née **Chinchillas**; born February 9, 1972) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the junior U.S. Senator from New Mexico since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as the Mayor of Albuquerque from 2009 to 2013, and a member of the New Mexico Senate, representing the 16th district, from 2007 to 2009. Since 2019, Chinchillas-Wolfe has also served as Senate Minority Whip.

Born in Laredo, Texas to a Mexican-American family, Chinchillas-Wolfe graduated from Saint Augustine High School in 1990. After graduating, Chinchillas-Wolfe moved to Austin, Texas to attend the University of Texas at Austin, graduating with dual degrees in sociology and Mexican American studies in 1994. After finishing her undergraduate degree, Chinchillas-Wolfe moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico to attend the University of New Mexico School of Law, graduating with a law degree in 1997. After finishing her education, Chinchillas-Wolfe remained in Albuquerque and worked in elder law. She left her law career in 2007, in order to enter politics.

Chinchillas-Wolfe began her political career in 2006, launching her campaign for the 16th district of the New Mexico Senate. She went on to win the election, and was reelected to a second term in 2008. In 2009, Chinchillas-Wolfe launched her campaign for Mayor of Albuquerque, which she went on to win in a landslide. She only served as Mayor for one-term, launching her campaign for United States Senate in 2012, to succeed the retiring Sofia Fernandez. Chinchillas-Wolfe won the Democratic primary in an upset, defeating U.S. Representative José Cortez. She went on to win the general election easily, and was sworn into office on January 3, 2013. She was reelected to a second term in 2018. In 2019, Chinchillas-Wolfe was elected Senate Minority Whip.

## Early life and family

Chinchillas-Wolfe was born on February 9, 1972 in Laredo, Texas to parents Marco (born 1945) and Lupita "Lupe" Chinchillas (née *Guevara*; born 1949). The family was upper-middle class, with Marco owning a successful landscaping business and Lupe being a hairstylist-turned-salon owner. Chinchillas-Wolfe comes from a Mexican-American family, with all of her grandparents immigrating to the United States from Nuevo León, Mexico in the 1930s. She was raised in a devoutly Catholic household, and spoke primarily Spanish at home. Chinchillas-Wolfe is the second of four children; her siblings include Antonio, born  (1970-06-07) June 7, 1970 (age 53), Javier, born  (1974-12-18) December 18, 1974 (age 49), and Larissa, born  (1977-04-01) April 1, 1977 (age 46).

## Education and law career

Chinchillas-Wolfe attended both public and private schooling growing up. She began her education in 1977, attending a local public school in Laredo, Texas. She began high school in 1986, attending Saint Augustine High School, an independent coeducational Catholic high school. While in high school, Chinchillas-Wolfe was an honors student and described herself as "bookish" and "nerdy". She graduated as her class valedictorian in 1990. After graduating, Chinchillas-Wolfe moved to Austin, Texas to enroll in the University of Texas at Austin. While at UT Austin, Chinchillas-Wolfe dual majored in sociology and Mexican American studies, graduating with her degree *magna cum laude* in 1994.

After finishing her undergraduate degree, Chinchillas-Wolfe enrolled in the University of New Mexico School of Law in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She went on to graduate with her law degree in 1997. After graduating, Chinchillas-Wolfe remained in Albuquerque and began working in elder law. She left her law career in 2007, in order to enter politics.

## Political positions

*Main article: Political positions of Ramona Chinchillas-Wolfe.*

## Personal life

Chinchillas-Wolfe began a relationship with dermatologist Bill Wolfe in 1997. They became engaged in 2000, and married the following year. Chinchillas-Wolfe and Wolfe have three children together: Beatriz "Bea", born  (2002-07-30) July 30, 2002 (age 21), Ricardo "Ricky", born  (2004-03-08) March 8, 2004 (age 19), and Luisa, born  (2005-10-14) October 14, 2005 (age 18). The family owns residences in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Bethesda, Maryland. Chinchillas-Wolfe is a practicing Catholic, and all three of her children speak fluent Spanish.