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Domenici’s retirement creates quandary for state GOP

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The retirement of U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici puts the New Mexico GOP in a quandary. Not only do Republicans have to defend two seats in Washington next year that they currently hold, without incumbents – three if U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce decides to run against Rep. Heather Wilson in a Senate primary – but they also need to save resources for a serious attempt to capture the governor’s office in 2010. Even before Domenici announced last week that he would retire at the end of 2008, the state’s Republicans had their minds on that race, knowing they won’t likely make enough gains in the state Legislature in 2008 and 2010 to have serious influence in redistricting in the next decade. Their best chance at being influential in that process is winning the gubernatorial race. It’s critical for the GOP. Continue Reading

New Mexico: Nothin’ could be finer

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By Carter Bundy As if you needed another reason to live in the Land of Enchantment. New Mexico is already the most diverse, culturally cool and beautiful state in America. Darn good weather, too. It’s also the most exciting place in America for presidential politics. No other state was decided by as few votes in 2000 and 2004 (with Gore winning by 366 and W by 5,988), and only two other states (Iowa and New Hampshire) changed colors. Continue Reading

Pearce still working toward decision on Senate

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After hours of meetings on Tuesday, news broke that U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., had put together a finance committee as he determines whether he can raise the money for a Senate run – a move that could indicate he’s gone beyond considering whether he wants to run and is now trying to make it happen. Pearce’s plan at the start of Tuesday’s meetings, as I originally reported, was to decide whether he would run and make an announcement later in the day. As I reported late Tuesday, that changed when Pearce and staffers worked into the evening and Pearce still hadn’t made a decision. Apparently, there’s more work to be done. There’s a lot to consider. Continue Reading

Source: Pearce decision won’t come tonight

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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. Continue Reading

Richardson campaign hits more speed bumps

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Gov. Bill Richardson has come across a few speed bumps in recent days that are slowing attempts to gain ground in the presidential race. The newest poll done for the Des Moines Register on the Iowa caucuses, released Sunday, has Richardson falling to 8 percent – down two points from the newspaper’s May poll and 2.3 points below the Real Clear Politics average of recent polls in Iowa. The difference of about two points is, however, well within the margin or error in all recent polls and the May Des Moines Register poll. Though John Edwards also dropped in the newest poll, he’s still 15 points ahead of Richardson, and Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both gained ground in the newest poll. Making news of the poll worse was a Saturday report from MSNBC that the Richardson campaign’s co-chair in South Carolina was quitting and instead endorsing Joe Biden. Continue Reading

White decides to run for Congress

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Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White has decided to seek the U.S. House seat being vacated next year by Rep. Heather Wilson, the Albuquerque Journal is reporting. A source close to the sheriff confirmed for me that White will make an announcement on Wednesday about whether he will run, but could not confirm that he will run. The Journal cited a source in Washington familiar with White’s decision. That apparent announcement will come after White flew to Washington this week to meet with Republican officials about the race. Other Republicans considering the race include State Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones, R-Albuquerque. Continue Reading

Chávez formally enters U.S. Senate race

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Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez announced today that he will run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated next year by Pete Domenici. “I am pleased this morning to announce my candidacy for the United States Senate,” the Democrat said during a news conference in Albuquerque. “These are extraordinarily difficult times for our country. … As a senator, I will vote to end this war now.” The mayor was flanked by a number of high-raking Democrats who were obviously aiming to show a great deal of support for Chávez at a time when many are concerned that he isn’t the strongest candidate they could run against formidable Republican opponents. GOP U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson has already announced that she’s running, and U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., will announce later today whether he’s running. Continue Reading

Pearce to announce decision on Senate today

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U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., plans to announce later today whether he will run for the Senate seat being vacated by Pete Domenici. A reliable source confirmed that the congressman will make the announcement this afternoon, but did not know what Pearce’s decision will be. Pearce’s campaign refused to comment. U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson is currently considered the frontrunner for the GOP nomination in the Senate race, but if Pearce gets in the race, that could change. Newcomer Spiro G. Vassilopoulos is also running, assuring a GOP primary regardless of Pearce’s decision. Continue Reading

Lyons mum about conversation with Pearce

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New Mexico Land Commissioner Pat Lyons confirmed this morning that he spoke on Monday with fellow Republican Steve Pearce about the U.S. Senate race, but he would not reveal the details of their conversation. “Oh yeah, I talked to him,” Lyons said today. “We haven’t made a decision yet and I don’t think he has either, so we’ll have to see how things shake out.” Both Lyons and Southern New Mexico’s congressman are considering getting into the race, and Lyons had been trying for days to discuss the situation with Pearce. Republicans U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson and newcomer Spiro G. Vassilopoulos have both entered the race, so Lyons and Pearce would have to face both in a primary. Lyons is also considering running for governor in 2010, and though Pearce has never publicly said whether he’s interested in that race, a number of Republicans, including the state party’s chair, have said they would like to see him run. Continue Reading

Iraq: Get out now!

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By Dr. James “Jim” Kadlecek “Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind.” – John F. Kennedy “The military don’t start wars. Politicians start wars.” – William Westmoreland “There was never a good war or a bad peace.” – Benjamin Franklin United States’ involvement in Iraq: Stupid. Tragic. Horrible. A monumental foreign policy mistake. Continue Reading

Poll finds Pearce stronger than Wilson against Dems

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The first public polling done on the dynamics of the 2008 U.S. Senate race finds Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., significantly stronger than GOP Rep. Heather Wilson in potential head-to-head contests against Democratic opponents. With Pearce still undecided on whether to challenge Wilson in a primary, the SurveyUSA poll is certain to put further pressure on Southern New Mexico’s congressman to get into the race. He has said his decision won’t be based on polls, but will instead be based on what he believes is right. Read the poll’s full results by clicking here. Regardless of what Pearce says, the numbers are hard to ignore. Continue Reading

Don’t discount her: Denish seriously pondering Senate

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Lt. Gov. Diane Denish says, despite reports to the contrary, that she is “very seriously” considering running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Pete Domenici. Media reports in recent days have suggested that she was making a deal with Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez to stay out of the Senate race if he stayed out of the 2010 gubernatorial race, and many have suggested her consideration of the Senate race isn’t serious. No so, Denish says. “The compelling argument is this: The country is in a mess and what we need is really good candidates to step forward,” Denish said today in an interview. “If the country wasn’t in a crisis, I think I would not blink an eye (in deciding against running for Senate), but I think building a stronger majority in the Senate is a real priority at this time.” Denish, a Democrat, told me several months ago that she had no interest in leaving New Mexico for Washington. Continue Reading

Ethics subcommittee to meet Wednesday

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The Legislature’s interim Ethics Subcommittee will hold its second meeting to consider reform proposals on Wednesday. This meeting will be about the recommendations made by the Governor’s Task Force on Ethics Reform, according to the agenda. Those proposals include campaign contribution limits, tougher restrictions on lobbyists and creation of an ethics commission that could investigate complaints against public officials and issue opinions on ethical questions. Most members of the legislative subcommittee have been reluctant to embrace ethics reform proposals. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in room 309 at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Continue Reading

Kucinich, wife to visit N.M. this week

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On Tuesday, Dennis Kucinich will become the first 2008 Democratic presidential candidate other than Bill Richardson to visit New Mexico. Kucinich will be in Albuquerque to speak at 6 p.m. at Smith-Brasher Hall on the campus of Central New Mexico Community College, the campaign announced this weekend in an e-mail to supporters. And Kucinich’s wife, Elizabeth, will make her own trip through New Mexico this week, stopping on Wednesday in Albuquerque to hold a press conference at 9:30 a.m. at the Center for Peace and Justice. She will speak at 6:30 p.m. at the Plumber’s and Pipefitter’s Union hall in Albuquerque before heading to Taos Pueblo for a tour at noon on Thursday. At 5 p.m. on Thursday, Elizabeth Kucinich, who will be accompanied on the trip by her mother, will hold a reception at the Kachina Lodge in Taos. Continue Reading

Lyons ‘not any closer’ to decision on Senate race

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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. Continue Reading