If Bill Richardson becomes Secretary of Commerce, what does that mean for NM-Gov?
New Mexico flipped back to the Democrat column in a big way this last election, and it has the chance of anchoring a strong Democratic presence in the Southwest for years to come.
If, however, Richardson remains Governor, his term will end in 2010. He's in the middle of his second term, and cannot run again due to term limits.
Here's what we know about the position, and the likely candidates to fill it.
If Richardson resigns, Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish, would immediately take his place. This keeps the seat safely in Democratic hands for the next two years.
Democrat hopefuls:
Diane Denish
Being acting Governor makes her the front runner in 2010. She was expected to run in 2010 anyway, since Richardson would have to leave office. She was chair of the state's Democratic Party, and is serving her second term as Lieutenant Governor.
Martin Chavez
Chavez is currently serving his second term as the mayor of Albuquerque. He's a popular figure, with good name recognition, stemming from a failed bid for the Governor's office in 1998, and was a primary contender in this years Senate race.
Val Kilmer
Yep, the Val Kilmer the actor is considering running as well. Kilmer owns a ranch in the state, and has lived there for over two decades. He claims that he had a conversation with Richardson four years ago where the Governor said Kilmer "could be a great governor" and "not to dismiss the idea". Richardson doesn't remember any such conversation.
Republican hopefuls:
Heather Wilson
No stranger to us, Wilson gave up her congressional seat to run for Senate this year. She lost in the primaries (Yay!) and is probably hoping for the USA attorneys firing scandal to die down more before she throws her hat in the ring.
Steve Pearce
The guy that beat Wilson in the Republican primary for Senate, and then got trounced by Tom Udall. Like Wilson, he gave up his congressional seat in 2006 to run for Senate. His reputation is also tainted, he was embroiled in a plagiarism scandal in 2005, in which his press secretary took the fall.