William Holland Payne (born July 18, 1951)[1] is an American politician, attorney, and retired United States Navy Rear admiral.He served as a member of the New Mexico Senate from 1997 to 2021.

His last active duty assignment was as operations officer for Naval Special Warfare Unit 1, Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines.

Payne eventually rose to the rank of rear admiral while in the United States Navy Reserve.

Payne was a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council and served as New Mexico state leader in 2012.

[8][9] In 2021, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed Payne to the University of New Mexico Board of Regents.