Lyons ‘not any closer’ to decision on Senate race

New Mexico Land Commissioner Pat Lyons said this morning he’s still undecided on whether to run for U.S. Senate.

Lyons, a Republican, has been trying to reach U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., to discuss the situation before making a decision. Pearce is also seriously considering the race.

Lyons said he wasn’t able to speak with Pearce this weekend, but the congressman is supposed to call him Tuesday or Wednesday – which may be an indicator of when Pearce plans to reveal his decision.

“We’re not any closer,” Lyons said. “We’re still undecided right now.”

The Pearce campaign told me today it had no news to report on whether the congressman is closer to making a decision on the Senate race.

Lyons said he’ll also have to consider which Democrats get into the race, and noted that he’s also considering whether to run for governor in 2010. The land commissioner is the only GOP statewide elected official in New Mexico and will be forced by term limits to leave his current job at the end of 2010.

U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici’s retirement has injected a great deal of uncertainty into New Mexico politics, Lyons said.

“The whole political deck’s been reshuffled here,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson and political newcomer Spiro Vassilopoulos have both announced they are running in the GOP primary for Senate.

Lyons said running to replace Wilson in the House isn’t an option. He lives in Northern New Mexico’s Third Congressional District.