▁of ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁longest - ser ving ▁governor ▁in ▁New ▁Mexico ▁history , ▁with ▁ 1 2 ▁years ▁of ▁service . ▁ ▁Early ▁life , ▁education , ▁and ▁early ▁political ▁career ▁King ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁April ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁in ▁Stanley , ▁New ▁Mexico . ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁he ▁attended ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁New ▁Mexico ▁in ▁Al bu quer que , ▁New ▁Mexico . ▁ ▁King ' s ▁career ▁in ▁politics ▁began ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Santa ▁Fe ▁Board ▁of ▁County ▁Commission ers ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁board ▁during ▁his ▁second ▁term . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁New ▁Mexico ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives . ▁He ▁served ▁five ▁consecutive ▁terms ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁and ▁during ▁three ▁of ▁his ▁terms ▁he ▁was ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁House . ▁From ▁ 1 9 6 8 - 6 9 , ▁King ▁was ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁Democratic ▁Party . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁Constitution al ▁Convention . ▁ ▁Governor ▁of ▁New ▁Mexico ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁King ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁governor , ▁defe ating ▁Republican ▁P ete ▁D omen ici . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁ 2 3 rd ,