State Senate Democrats on Thursday predicted Senate President Pro-tem Tim Jennings, D-Roswell, will have a hard time holding on to his position due to his recent aid to a Republican senator's re-election campaign.

One longtime Taos County senator, Democrat Carlos Cisneros, said Thursday that while it's too early to declare his candidacy for the position, he'd "certainly be willing to entertain" the idea of running for the pro-tem job.

Jennings, a Roswell rancher, angered his fellow Democrats in the Senate — as well as Gov. Bill Richardson — when he recorded a "robo call" on behalf of Senate Republican Whip Leonard Lee Rawson in which he took "a stand against the character assassination" by Rawson's Democratic opponent Steve Fischmann. Fischmann had criticized Rawson for securing more than $100,000 in public money to pave a road adjacent to a commercial development Rawson owns. Jennings has said a group supporting Fischmann called his Roswell home one day and suggested that Rawson is a "crook."

"If someone is spreading lies about someone, I'm not going to sit and say, 'Go ahead,' " Jennings said Wednesday.

Fischmann, according to unofficial returns, is leading Rawson by about 500 votes.

Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, said Thursday, "Tim's decision to jump into that race, rushing to the defense of a Republican on the ropes, has caused him to lose some support."

Ortiz y Pino, a major player of the "progressive" wing of Senate Democrats — a faction that has been strengthened by results of the primary and general election — said he does not think Jennings has enough votes to survive a leadership challenge.

When asked about Jennings, another Democratic senator, who asked not to be named, said "Lieberman comes to mind" — referring to U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee who angered many Democrats for campaigning for Republican John McCain.

In a telephone interview Thursday, Cisneros, who has been in the Senate since 1985, sounded very interested in the leadership position. He pointed out that he has chaired important committees, including Education and Conservation, and more recently has been vice chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

Jennings was nominated in late 2006 by Senate Democrats for the pro-tem position — following the unexpected death of Sen. Ben Altamirano, D-Silver City, who previously held the job. Cisneros said the intent then was that Jennings' tenure would be temporary, just to fill out Altamirano's term. Another senator described his role as a "caretaker."

The president pro-tem is largely a symbolic position, although it became more powerful when it was held by former Sen. Manny Aragon, who recently pleaded guilty on federal corruption charges in a kickback case that took place during his Senate years.

The official responsibilities are presiding over the Senate — or appointing someone to do so — when the lieutenant governor is absent and naming members of the panel that decides the makeup of committees.

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