{"id":2462,"date":"2007-11-02T00:03:00","date_gmt":"2007-11-02T06:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/11\/denish-decides-against-running-for-u-s-senate\/"},"modified":"2007-11-02T00:03:00","modified_gmt":"2007-11-02T06:03:00","slug":"denish-decides-against-running-for-u-s-senate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/11\/denish-decides-against-running-for-u-s-senate\/","title":{"rendered":"Denish decides against running for U.S. Senate"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Lt. Gov. Diane Denish<\/a> has decided to forgo a 2008 U.S. Senate run and instead run for governor in 2010 as she originally planned. <\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

A knowledgeable source confirmed on Thursday that Denish had decided against running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Pete Domenici<\/a>. The news came the same day the public learned that U.S. Rep. Tom Udall<\/a>, D-N.M., had decided to reconsider whether to run for Senate and that he is trying to put together the pieces necessary for a Senate run.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Many Washington<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> insiders had spent weeks pushing Denish or Udall to run for the seat.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

But Denish told me months before Domenici announced his coming retirement that she had no interest in leaving New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>. She told me last month, in confirming her consideration of the race, that she wasn\u2019t certain that had changed, but a number of Democrats were pushing her, arguing she was the Democrat who could win the Senate race next year.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThe compelling argument is this: The country is in a mess and what we need is really good candidates to step forward,\u201d Denish said at the time. \u201cIf the country wasn\u2019t 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Even then, she told me she sees herself as \u201cmore suited for\u201d an executive job than a legislative position.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The source said Thursday that Denish gave the Senate race serious consideration because of the pressing needs in Washington<\/st1:state>, but ultimately decided that \u201cher feet are firmly planted in New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>\u201d and she wants to be governor. She\u2019s already raised some $1.5 million for the race that\u2019s about three years away.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The other Democrats who are running for Senate are Albuquerque Mayor Martin Ch\u00e1vez<\/a> and three lesser-known candidates, Don Wiviott<\/a>, Jim Hannan<\/a> and Leland Lehrman<\/a>. It was in part because of Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s candidacy that many Democrats have been pushing Denish and Udall. The mayor is not well-liked by progressives, and a recent poll revealed that he would have a hard time in a general election against GOP U.S. Reps. Steve Pearce<\/a> or Heather Wilson<\/a>, who are both running for the seat.<\/p>\n

\n

Update, 7:10 a.m.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Denish confirmed this morning in a news release that she won\u2019t run for Senate.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cI am flattered and honored by everyone\u2019s interest in my considering the Senate race. I appreciate the encouragement of everyone I\u2019ve heard from in Washington<\/st1:state>, but most of all I appreciate the support, counsel and friendship of so many of you here in New Mexico<\/st1:country-region><\/st1:place>. I\u2019m honored by your confidence in me,\u201d Denish said.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe\u2019re a country with serious problems. We are in a war that the president has no plan to end. And that same president just vetoed a children\u2019s health-care plan that our New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> children desperately need. We have been led to the brink of rocky financial times because of reckless economic policies the president has pursued. Because of the state of our country I felt I must give serious consideration to a Senate run,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s simple: The nation is on the wrong track.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cOver the last five years, I\u2019ve worked with Governor Richardson to keep New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> on the right track,\u201d Denish said. \u201cI\u2019ve seen the difference our commitment to early childhood education means for our children\u2019s future. I\u2019ve seen how fighting crime at a neighborhood level and investing in small businesses changes a community and helps make it a great place to live.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cTogether, we\u2019re reaching higher. We\u2019ve made our state a better place to start a business or start a family, a place where every child in every community has a chance to grow and succeed,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cBut our work isn\u2019t done. For all the progress we\u2019ve made, keeping that progress going is a fight I can\u2019t leave now,\u201d she said. \u201cMy heart and soul are in New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>. Therefore, it\u2019s clear to me that I best serve New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> by continuing as lieutenant governor, and I hope one day as your governor. In the meantime, I\u2019ll be working hard to elect a Democratic senator and president in 2008.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI love New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>, and the fact is, my feet are firmly planted on the ground here,\u201d Denish said. \u201cI like to get up and see that big, blue sky and I\u2019m committed to working hard for everyone who lives below it. Together, we can build a New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> that\u2019s stronger, safer and more prepared than ever to take on the challenges we face.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lt. Gov. Diane Denish has decided to forgo a 2008 U.S. Senate run and instead run for governor in 2010 as she originally planned. A knowledgeable source confirmed on Thursday that Denish had decided against running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Pete Domenici. The news came the same day the public learned […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2462","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2462"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2462\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}