Senator Bingaman (NM) to retire

By Erin McPike

New Mexico Democratic Senator Jeff Bingaman will announce his retirement today, Democratic sources confirmed.

Bingaman, who is serving his fifth term, is among the most senior Democrats in the Senate. He also serves as chair of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.


Former Republican Rep. Heather Wilson has shown interest in running for the New Mexico Senate seat in 2012, and some reports suggest her candidacy would be contingent on Bingaman's decision.

Wilson lost a Republican Senate primary in 2008 to Congressman Steve Pearce. Pearce subsequently lost the race to now Democratic Sen. Tom Udall and has since returned to his old House seat after a Democrat held it for one term.

While Republican Susanna Martinez won the state's open governor's race handily in 2010, Democrats don't believe that this seat is too difficult to hold. They point out that President Obama carried New Mexico in 2008 by 15 percentage points, and that Democrats maintain a 17-point registration advantage over Republicans in the state.

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http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/02/18/jeff_bingaman_to_retire_108948.html

with a respectable margin.

defending or putting time and lots of $$ into New Mexico.