Brian Egolf, who has been campaigning for 10 months for the Santa Fe state Senate seat currently held by Sen. John Grubesic, announced Saturday that he will instead run for Peter Wirth's House seat now that Wirth has jumped into the state Senate race.

Egolf said he and Wirth — both Democrats and lawyers from Santa Fe's east side — appeal to many of the same constituents.

"For several days, I have given much thought to how I might best serve the people of Santa Fe and New Mexico," Egolf said Saturday. "After careful consideration, I have decided to run for the District 47 State House seat being vacated by Peter Wirth. I am committed to doing what is best for Santa Fe, and I believe that Santa Fe will be best served by having two strong progressive Democrats serving together in the Legislature, not running against each other."

Grubesic announced earlier this month that he wouldn't run for a second term for his District 25 seat.

Although Senate districts are larger than House districts, Senate District 25 and House District 47 — which consists mainly of east-side Santa Fe districts — overlap considerably. In announcing his Senate candidacy last week, Wirth pointed out that his House district includes about 60 percent of Senate District 25.

The move means that Egolf, the only announced candidate for the District 47 House seat, will have a daunting financial advantage over many prospective opponents. According to a May campaign finance report, Egolf had raised more than $50,000 for the race. He said earlier this month that his campaign has raised about $85,000.

Egolf, 31, who announced his candidacy in December, has been campaigning door-to-door for the Senate race. He had been endorsed by the Firefighter's Union for the Senate.

Egolf works on water issues at the Montgomery and Andrews law firm. He has said that water would be among his top legislative issues if he is elected. He said he would support economic development for local businesses and free college tuition for all New Mexico residents.

Egolf worked as a White House intern during the Clinton administration. He's also worked for U.S. Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and was a New Mexico delegate at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Egolf earned an undergraduate degree in diplomacy and public service from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

His father was a major contributor to Gov. Bill Richardson's gubernatorial campaign. The younger Egolf has made smaller contributions to Richardson.

Brian Egolf grew up in Santa Fe. He is married and is expecting his first child.

Wirth was first elected to the House in 2004 following the resignation of longtime Rep. Max Coll. He was re-elected last year with no opposition in the primary or general elections.

Former Santa Fe Mayor Larry Delgado reportedly is considering running for the Senate in District 25.

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