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Wilson Making Senate Announcement In Albuquerque

A press conference for former Rep. Heather Wilson has been scheduled at Desert Paper & Envelope in Albuquerque on Monday at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, and the Republican is expected to announce she is entering the race for New Mexico’s open Senate seat.

A press release on Sunday stated only that Wilson intends to make an announcement. Wilson declined to comment about a potential Senate bid when reached by phone on Friday, but a GOP source confirmed then that the former Congresswoman will announce she is running.

This is Wilson’s second Senate bid in four years after losing in the 2008 Republican primary. Two lower-tier Republicans are already in the 2012 race, but Wilson enters the contest as the frontrunner.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) announced last month that he will not seek another term. What was once considered a safe Democratic hold was instantly added to a growing list of pick-up opportunities for Republicans. Roll Call Politics rates this race a Tossup.

At least two Democrats — Rep. Martin Heinrich and state Auditor Hector Balderas — are likely to run and would give Democrats high-profile candidates to succeed Bingaman.

For more from our At the Races politics blog, click here.

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