New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) issued one executive order from March 13-19. As of March 19, Grisham has issued 38 executive orders in 2023 — 24 more than she did at this point a year ago.
- Executive Order 2023-038, where the governor ordered flags to half-staff in memorial of former Navajo Nation President Peterson Zah.
Governors use executive orders to manage executive branch operations. During the week of March 13-19, the nation’s governors issued 25 executive orders. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) issued the most with nine. Governors in 39 states issued the fewest with zero. Democratic governors issued 13 of the 25 orders, while Republican governors issued 12.
Lujan Grisham has served as governor since Jan. 1, 2019. She issued 165 executive orders in 2022 and 68 in 2021. Nationally, governors issued at least 1,559 executive orders in 2022. Governors have issued 345 executive orders in 2023. Republican governors issued 210, while Democratic governors issued 135. New Mexico is a Democratic trifecta, meaning Democrats control the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature.
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