U.S. Rep. Tom Udall, unopposed in the Democratic primary for a U.S. Senate seat, raised more money in the first three months of the year than the two Republican candidates put together.

But even though Udall has nearly $2.6 million in his campaign treasury and Republican U.S. Reps. Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce are bound to spend virtually all they've taken in before the primary is over, a longtime New Mexico pollster says the Democrat's current financial advantage will matter little in the general election.

"If I were Heather Wilson or Steve Pearce, I'd be spending all my money in the primary," Brian Sanderoff of Research & Polling Inc. said in Albuquerque in an interview Tuesday. "Once the primary is over, the money will flow from all sides," he said.

Wilson raised $515,086 during the quarter that ended March 31, according to her campaign finance report filed Tuesday. She reported about $1.2 million cash in hand. Pearce raised $473,725 and reported $854,164.42 cash on hand. Udall raised $1.3 million in the quarter.

No matter who the Republican candidate is, Sanderoff said, the national GOP and the national Democratic Party will infuse millions into the campaign. The New Mexico Senate seat, being vacated by Republican Sen. Pete Domenici, is seen by national pundits as one of the major seats in play.

Democrats hope to capture the seat, held by Domenici since 1973, in hopes of expanding their slim majority in the Senate — moving closer to the veto-proof number of 60 Democratic senators. Republicans, naturally, are fighting to hold it.

Sanderoff predicted that Udall — with the luxury of his lead in money and a united Democratic Party behind him — will continue to lead in polls in the early part of the general election.

However, once Republicans have a candidate, the race almost surely will narrow, he said.

Whichever Republican is nominated will be a credible candidate against Udall, because both Wilson and Pearce are also sitting members of Congress.

The campaigns released summaries of their quarterly fundraising Tuesday, the deadline for mailing campaign finance reports to the secretary of the Senate in Washington, D.C.

The public doesn't have immediate access to the campaign finance reports of Senate candidates because they don't file electronically with the Federal Election Commission, unlike U.S. House candidates. There is a delay before Senate reports become available at the FEC. The secretary of the Senate's office sends the campaign finance reports to the FEC.

Udall, who represents the northern 3rd Congressional district, spent only $463,243 in the recent quarter, $660,889 in the race so far.

Wilson, whose District 1 mainly consists of Albuquerque, has spent $1.2 million so far, $412,915 during the most recent quarter.

Pearce, who represents the southern 2nd Congressional District, has spent $541,406 so far, including $439,298 during the quarter.

Material from The Associated Press was used in this report

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