WaPo says Sen. Jeff Bingaman's not running for re-election. Not a surprise, as it had been known for years that he wanted to retire. Though he might have been pressured to stay, since the rest of the delegation's not got much seniority.
Pearce (NM-02) will run (again) on the Republican side. Heather Wilson - maybe? It was fun watching them tear each other up in the 2008 primary. Another question is who will take over as chair of the Senate Energy Committee.
I'd like to see Lujan (NM-03) stay in the House. I think he'd make for good leadership there. It's been said that Heinrich might be good senatorial material. But it might be a little soon.
(photo at right is Bingaman at "energy independence day" in Taos a coupla years back)
Candidate Ben Ray Lujan listens to a nonogenarian at Taos Pueblo during the 2008 campaign:
Richardson probably won't be interested. Diane Denish, who recently failed rather unambiguously in a run for Governor?
Martin Heinrich, one of the cutest members of the House (not that that matters much), is an active outdoorsman, and a great member of Congress for anyone who gives a rat's ass about the environment.
Hopefully, there'll be enough buyer's remorse over the folly of electing Susana Martinez governor so that a Dem will have a better shot than they would have had this year. At any rate, hopefully the Obama campaign will do a thorough job of voter registration and turning voters out and that will help, too.
Stevan Pearce, who failed against Udall in 2008 then got elected back to NM-02 over Harry Teague in 2010, will undoubtedly run again. Although, for fashion reasons alone (on top of his general all-purpose lunacy), New Mexicans should spare ourselves the embarassment of having a Senator who wears a bolo tie with a polo shirt. Ouch!
Republicans saying it's any kind of a "development" about the Dems is pure BS. 'Cuz, like I said, Bingaman's been semi-officially declared as not wanting to run again. For years now.
We shall see, eh?