Mama Lucy's

The Mama Lucy Gang was an alliance of liberal politicians that controlled the New Mexico House of Representatives in the 1970s. The "gang" was named after a restaurant run by Mrs. Lucy Lopez. Some of the future politicians had eaten there in their student days. Poor students were never turned away hungry, but were allowed credit or given food for work. Mama Lucy was an inspiration to the future lawmakers. They were mostly members of the Democratic Party but included Republicans. They enacted reforms related to education, the environment and equal opportunity. After a short period out of power in 1979–82, their successors continued to control the House until 2000. In 1973 the representatives presented a memorial to Mama Lucy in the House.

Mrs. Lucy Lopez, known as Mama Lucy to her friends, ran the Plaza Hotel Restaurant and Bar in Las Vegas, New Mexico, for fourteen years with her husband before moving across the street to another restaurant on the Las Vegas Plaza. They rented part of the hotel as a dormitory for New Mexico Highlands University students and sold meal tickets for the restaurant as an alternative to the university cafeteria. Daily lunch and dinner cost $30 a month. Students who were short of money could make a special arrangement in exchange for helping out. A former student recalled, "The only things worth eating in the dorm cafeteria were the milk and the bread, the rest of the food was so terrible many of the kids used to get a meal ticket at Mama Lucy's." The restaurant was self-service, and the students were trusted not to take too much. The food was varied, but Mama Lucy's Spanish dishes were the most popular.

Lucy Lopez's restaurant on the other side of the Las Vegas Plaza was known for her pies. It was a popular spot for politicians, businessman and local leaders to meet and catch up on the news. Old guestbooks from the restaurant contain the signatures of U.S. Senators Joseph Montoya and Dennis Chávez and of New Mexico governors David Cargo, Tom Bolack, Edwin L. Mechem and Jack M. Campbell.

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