New Mexico’s Pearce Puts Off ’10 Decision Until Late July
New Mexico Republicans have been anticipating an announcement by Steve Pearce , their defeated 2008 U.S. Senate nominee, about whether he will seek a comeback in 2010 — either by running for governor in the race to succeed term-limited Democrat Bill Richardson , or by trying to reclaim the 2nd Congressional District seat, now occupied by freshman Democrat Harry Teague , that he left open in 2008 after three terms.
But the GOP will have to wait a bit longer than Pearce initially indicated. After earlier saying he would reveal a decision by the end of June, Pearce told CQ Politics Friday that he is still weighing his 2010 plans and will withhold his announcement until sometime between July 20 and July 27.
Pearce in 2008 edged then-Rep. Heather A. Wilson for the Republican nomination for the Senate seat opened up by the retirement of six-term GOP incumbent Pete V. Domenici . But Democrat Tom Udall , then the state’s other U.S. House member, trounced Pearce in the general election by 61 percent to 39 percent.
