Earlier this week, I profiled the Republican U.S. Senate primary. Because Steve Pearce refused an interview, the article was largely about Heather Wilson. There was one topic discussed during my interview with Wilson that didn’t fit into the article but I wanted to write about.
I asked Wilson to talk about things she liked and disliked about both current U.S. senators from New Mexico, Republican Pete Domenici and Democrat Jeff Bingaman. My question was designed to get a sense of her approach to government and also how she would work with Bingaman if the two were New Mexico’s U.S. senators beginning in January 2009.
Wilson didn’t answer the question, saying she prefers to focus on issues instead of personalities. However, later in the conversation, we came back to the issue of the New Mexico delegation. Wilson said the current members of the delegation get along better than many in other states, and noted that they all share one staffer to help with coordination.
“There are things we need to get done for New Mexico, and we work together,” Wilson said.
So I asked about Bingaman again. Could she work with him? Wilson paused before answering.
“Sen. Bingaman has supported every opponent I’ve ever had,” Wilson said, but she added that she doesn’t take offense at that.
“Elections are elections, but once the election is over, you have to get the job done,” she said. “If I took offense at that, we’d never get anything done.”
Wilson noted that, next year, Bingaman will become the senior senator from New Mexico and, if she’s elected, she will be the senior Republican among the state’s congressional delegation. She said she would lead the Republicans in the delegation to work with the Democrats to accomplish what’s best for New Mexico.
Earlier this week, I profiled the Republican U.S. Senate primary. Because Steve Pearce refused an interview, the article was largely about Heather Wilson. There was one topic discussed during my interview with 