I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
State Auditor Hector Balderas will make a final decision on whether he’ll run for Senate within days, according to a Wednedsay afternoon report from NMPolitics.net. Balderas, a Democrat, previously said that he was “seriously considering” a run for the open seat.
NMPolitics.net cites “a source with knowledge of the situation,” but that person wouldn’t say which way Balderas was leaning.
Balderas said last week on Facebook that he would decide by the end of April.
“I’m truly humbled by the outpouring of support encouraging me to run for the United States Senate. I will continue to reflect on this important decision with my family, and will announce my decision within the next two weeks,” he wrote on April 15.
Balderas was first elected to the statewide state auditor position in 2006 and re-elected in 2010. Before that, Balderas served in the state legislature as a representative from Wagon Mound in northern New Mexico.
Balderas has been cited by many as a potential top-tier primary challenger to U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich.
Roll Call reported earlier this month that Balderas would not run for the 1st Congressional District seat, which will be open after Heinrich announced that he is running for the open Senate seat.
The Senate seat will be open because U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., announced earlier this year that he would not run for a sixth term in the position in 2012. Bingaman is the only member of the New Mexico congressional delegation to be in his current position since before 2008.
The seat has already drawn a top-tier Republican candidate in former U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson. Wilson previously ran for Senate in 2008, when she lost in the primary to Steve Pearce. Pearce, who like Wilson left his U.S. House seat to run for Senate, went on to lose to Tom Udall in the general election.
Wilson will face businessman Greg Sowards and columnist Bill English in the Republican primary. Pearce and Lt. Gov. John Sanchez are also named as potential Republican candidates for the position.
Other potential Democratic candidates for the Senate seat include USDA rural development state director and former Bingaman state director Terry Brunner and U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan. Activist Andres Valdes is also currently in the race.
