January 3, 1983-February 13, 1997 - Democratic congressman in the US House of Representatives for New Mexico's Third District.
1997-1998 - US Ambassador to the United Nations.
1998-2001 - US Secretary of Energy.
November 5, 2002 - Elected governor of New Mexico.
January 1, 2003-January 1, 2011 - Governor of New Mexico.
2004 - Chairman of the Democratic National Convention.
2005 and 2006 - Chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.
November 2005 - Releases his memoir "Between Worlds: The Making of an American Life."
November 7, 2006 - Re-elected governor of New Mexico, defeating Republican John Dendahl.
January 22, 2007 - Files a statement of candidacy with the FEC to run for president.
April 2007 - Spends four days in North Korea securing the remains of six US troops missing since the Korean War.
May 21, 2007 - Officially announces his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.
January 10, 2008 - Drops out of the 2008 presidential race.
August 28, 2008 - Addresses the Democratic National Convention.
December 3, 2008 - President-elect Barack Obama names Richardson as his choice for secretary of commerce.
January 4, 2009 - Announces that he is withdrawing his nomination as secretary of commerce, citing a pending federal investigation.
December 16, 2010 - Arrives in North Korea for a four-day visit to help ease tensions in the region.
2011 - Establishes the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, a non-profit promoting international peace.
January 2011 - Richardson is named Special Envoy for the Organization of American States.
February 23, 2011 - Is named chairman of APCO Worldwide's advisory service Global Political Strategies.
September 7-14, 2011 - Richardson visits Cuba on a private mission to win the release of jailed American contractor Alan Gross. He is unsuccessful.
October 2013 - Releases the book "How to Sweet-Talk a Shark: Strategies and Stories from a Master Negotiator."
January 7-10, 2013 - Richardson travels to North Korea with the chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt, on what is described as a humanitarian mission.