Pearce Senate campaign tour to hit Mesilla on Sunday

U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., will be in Mesilla on Sunday to formally tell voters in Doña Ana County that he’s running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Pete Domenici.

Pearce will make the announcement at noon on the Mesilla plaza, according to an e-mail from the Doña Ana County Republican Party.

Pearce plans to make his campaign official on Friday with an announcement in Hobbs, and stop in other cities around New Mexico during the weekend, but he hasn’t yet released other details about the trip.

Pearce will face U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson in next year’s GOP primary. The Democrats who have announced they are running are Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez and three lesser-known candidates, Don Wiviott, Jim Hannan and Leland Lehrman. A Santa Fe teacher, Zach Boatman, is also trying to get on the ballot as an independent.