Vice President Dick Cheney will be a guest next month at a Washington, D.C., fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson's campaign to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., a knowledgeable source said Thursday.

While Cheney will certainly help Wilson raise cash and get conservative Republican support in the GOP primary, a leading New Mexico political pollster said, state Democrats likely will use Wilson's association with Cheney against her in the general election.

"Democrats are trying to tie Wilson to George Bush and Dick Cheney," Brian Sanderoff of Albuquerque said. "This will give them a little more ammunition."

Bush and Cheney have low approval numbers in New Mexico, polls show.

"It demonstrates the importance of raising money," Sanderoff said. "(Wilson) must have decided it's worth the criticism she'll get from Democrats."

The fact the event is being held in Washington will hurt Wilson less than if Cheney came to New Mexico, Sanderoff said.

Last year, during Wilson's close and bitter congressional race with Democrat Patricia Madrid, Bush came to Albuquerque for a Wilson fundraiser. Photos of Wilson and the president were widely distributed by state Democrats.

Sanderoff said the fact Cheney has agreed to help Wilson before another New Mexico Republican congressman, Steve Pearce, makes up his mind about running for the Senate, might be an indication the Bush administration thinks Wilson is more electable than Pearce.

The more conservative Pearce, who represents Southern New Mexico, sides with Bush more often than Wilson, who represents the Albuquerque area, Sanderoff said.

Wilson in past elections has tried to portray herself as independent from the administration. In recent weeks, she has urged fellow Republicans to vote to override Bush's veto of a children's health insurance bill.

Wilson is one of two Republicans who have announced for Domenici's seat. The other is Albuquerque oil man Spiro Vassilopoulos. In addition to Pearce, state Land Commissioner Pat Lyons is considering entering the Republican Senate primary.

On the Democratic side, Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez and Santa Fe developer Don Wiviott have announced they are running for the Senate seat in the 2008 primary election.

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com.