Source: Pearce decision won’t come tonight

U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., won’t announce today whether he’s running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Pete Domenici, but he’s definitely trying to put together the money a Senate run would require.

Though Pearce and his staffers began today’s meetings with a plan to make a decision and announcement by this evening, it will not happen, a reliable source confirmed.

Apparently, there is more work to be done before Pearce makes the final decision.

The source gave no indication of whether Pearce is leaning toward getting in or staying out of the Senate race. However, that source and several others confirmed that Pearce has been calling Republican donors around the state for the last three days trying to determine whether he can raise the money for a Senate run. Pearce was in Washington today, and the meetings were conference calls since most of his campaign staffers are in New Mexico.

A source close to U.S. Rep Heather Wilson, R-N.M., who has already entered the race, said the congresswoman plans to spend $8 million or more on a Senate primary and general election. Wilson announced Monday that, as of the end of September, she had $750,000 in the bank that can be used for her Senate run.

Wilson is currently considered the frontrunner for the GOP nomination in the Senate race, but if Pearce gets in, that could change. Newcomer Spiro G. Vassilopoulos is also running, assuring a GOP primary regardless of Pearce’s decision.

A SurveyUSA poll conducted this weekend for KOB-TV in Albuquerque found that Pearce is significantly stronger statewide than Wilson in potential head-to-head contests against Democratic opponents.

State Land Commissioner Pat Lyons is another Republican actively considering the race. He has said he’ll make a decision by next week.