Republican Rep. Steve Pearce intends to run for Domenici's Senate seat
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10/16/2007 -
ALBUQUERQUE — Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., will run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Pete Domenici, The Associated Press has learned.Pearce, who represents the state's 2nd Congressional District in southern New Mexico, plans to send letters to friends and supporters Wednesday notifying them of his intent, a source close to Pearce told the AP on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity so as not to detract from Pearce's formal announcement.
Pearce will publicly announce his candidacy in "the coming weeks," the source said.
Pearce is the third well-known candidate to seek the Senate seat that Domenici has held since 1973. Domenici is retiring at the end of his term next year because he has an incurable brain disease.
Republican Congresswoman Heather Wilson and Democratic Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez have declared their candidacies. Several lesser-known candidates also are running: Democrats Don Wiviott, a Santa Fe developer; Jim Hannan, finance director of the Santa Fe Community Housing Trust; and Leland Lehrman, who publishes an alternative newspaper in Santa Fe; and Republican Spiro Vassilopoulos, an oil industry investor.
The announcement by Pearce and Wilson, coupled with Domenici's retirement announcement, leaves three New Mexico congressional races in the 2008 election without incumbents.
Pearce, 59, won election to the state Legislature in 1996, and earned a spot on the influential House Appropriations and Finance Committee, which handles the budget. In his second term, Pearce moved into the leadership as chairman of the House GOP caucus.
He sought higher office in 2000, but lost a race for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate.
Pearce entered the 2nd District race after 11-term GOP incumbent Joe Skeen announced his retirement in 2002. Pearce won the nomination in a five-way primary contest and defeated Democratic state Sen. John Arthur Smith in the general election.
His southern New Mexico district historically has tilted in favor of Republican candidates in statewide races although Democrats account for about half of the registered voters.
In Congress, Pearce serves on the House Committee on Natural Resources, which oversees the Interior Department as well as handling federal water issues and management of public lands.
Pearce had about $582,000 in his congressional campaign account at the end of last month. The money can be used to finance his Senate bid.
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Associated Press reporter Barry Massey contributed from Santa Fe, N.M.
