SHE'S OUT: Doug Wilson, owner of American Tire and Service, discusses the recent move his business made with Lt. Gov. Diane Dennish on Thursday. Denish, who was in town to conduct her 25th business forum since taking office, announced the next day she will not run for the Senate.

HE'S IN: Congressman Steve Pearce announced Friday he will seek the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, where he will do battle with Rep. Heather Wilson for the seat held by Pete Domenici since 1973. The state's third member of the House, Tom Udall, may also run on  the Democratic side.

Senate Race Heats Up

Pearce In, Denish Out, Udall Not Sure

By Eric Maddy
The SCORE

Congressman Steve Pearce formally announced his candidacy for th U.S. Senate on Friday, earning a Republican piece of the headliens grabbed earlier in the day by the Democrats.

Friday started with the announcement tht Lt. Gov. Diane Denish announced she would pass on the Senate race, leaving Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez as the Democratic frontrunner. But that's only if Rep. Tom Udall decides not to run, and three were widespread reports the congressman who represents most of Sandoval County was reconsidering a prevoius announcement that he would not run.

Denish, who made history by becoming New Mexico’s first female lieutenant governor, indicated she will run for governor - perhaps as early as 2010.

Meanwhile, a campaign to draft Udall for the Senate has taken off in recent days as liberal national political bloggers have come out in force. A web site to "Draft Udall" based in Washington, D.C., has already attracted more than $1,200 and 100 supporters since launching two weeks ago.

The left-leaning bloggers are concerned that Chavez, who polls indicate is quite popular in Albuquerque but not so much state-wide, is too close to Repbublican positions. Chavez reportedly endorsed Domenici's reelection earlier this year before the veteran senator decided to retire due to health converns.

The other three candidates already who have announced on the Democratic side are field Don Wiviott, a Santa Fe developer of environmentally friendly buildings; alternative-newspaper editor Leland Lehrman of Lamy; and Jim Hannan, a Santa Fe resident and finance director of an affordable-housing group.

A Udall campaign would mean that all three members of the state's congressional delegation will be running for the Senate.

On the Republican side, congressional representatives Heather Wilson and Pearce will battle for the seat held by Sen. Pete Domenici since 1973.

Ironically, Domenici first earned the job by defeating Denish’s father, the late Jack Daniels, in the 1972 election.