Though he isn’t confirming it, state Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, appears to be headed toward a congressional run.
Since news leaked two weeks ago that U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., would vacate his seat to run for U.S. Senate, Cervantes has been actively considering whether to run for the open seat. He told me last week that he would announce his decision before Sunday.
That has changed. Cervantes told me today that he will make the decision shortly after the
“We think the public is focused on the city election and we want to wait until after that. We’ll have an announcement immediately after the city election,” Cervantes said. “I have made the decision.”
He would not say what the decision is.
However, here’s the conventional wisdom: You don’t worry about the public’s attention if you’re planning to announce that you’re not running. You also don’t wait more than a week to get it out there. You get it done and get on with business. And, once you’ve publicly set a date, you don’t change the date unless you’re worried about your big announcement being overshadowed by something else.
Cervantes’ words appear to indicate a larger plan. This is pure speculation on my part, but it sounds as though he’s running. In addition, many Democrats – some of them after having conversations with Cervantes – have said they believe he is running.
We may know more on Saturday. The Democratic Party’s State Central Committee will gather for its fall meeting. Candidates for federal races will be given time to speak. Don’t expect Cervantes to give a speech – if he says it will happen after the city election, that’s when it will happen – but expect him to be bombarded with questions. If he’s decided to run, he may quietly tell that to at least some Democrats at the meeting.
Cervantes would join Al Kissling, Doña Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley and former Lea County Commissioner Harry Teague in the primary.
No Republican has entered the race, but a number are considering it. Sierra County Republican Party Chair C. Earl Greer told me today that he has taken the next step toward a run by forming an exploratory committee.
“That doesn’t mean that I’m running, and I’m not collecting any money at this point,” Greer said. “But we are moving forward.”
Greer said he didn’t expect to enter another race this soon after losing a hot Public Regulation Commission race in 2006, but he found that, because there’s no obvious Republican candidate to replace Pearce, “there’s a lot of support for me out there, and it’s got me rethinking things.”
Other Republicans considering running include Ed Tinsley and Phelps Anderson, who both ran unsuccessfully against Pearce in the 2002 primary; state Rep. Don Bratton of Hobbs; Roswell Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Mike Kakuska; and former Roswell Mayor Bill Owen.
Update, 3:30 p.m.
Tinsley released this statement about his consideration of the race:
“Meredith and I will have time to visit about the race and its impact on our family this week since she has just returned from her trip. I anticipate a decision within a week, or close to it,” he said. “However, out of respect for Steve’s announcement tour scheduled for this weekend, I will wait to say anything further until next week.”
He’s referring to Pearce’s Friday announcement in
A prior version of this posting incorrectly stated that Pearce is running for Congress.