Democrat Hector Balderas jumps into NM Senate race

Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) officially ruled out a Senate bid Monday. 

Earlier this month, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (Wash.) praised Heinrich as a strong candidate but said he didn’t yet have the committee’s official backing in his Senate bid, expressing confidence that Democrats would hold the seat and saying she had the luxury of not having to worry about “bloody primaries.”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t going to endorse Heinrich,” Murray told reporters. “We are here in April, and it’s three months into the cycle, and we are looking at all these states and determining where they are individually.”

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) jumped on the Balderas announcement Tuesday, saying it sets the stage for a “divisive primary situation that just days ago [Senate Democrats] bragged would not be an issue within their party.”

“Given the public praise that was offered to Congressman Heinrich upon his announcement, we look forward to hearing where national and state Democrat leaders stand on Auditor Balderas’ candidacy,” NRSC spokesman Brian Walsh said in a statement. “But no matter which candidate emerges from this Democrat primary, voters in New Mexico will have a clear choice next year between a fiscally-responsible Republican and liberal Democrat who believes in higher taxes, more debt, and bigger government.”

On the Republican side, former Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) faces a tough primary of her own. Republican Greg Sowards is already running to her right and Lt. Gov. John Sanchez (R) is weighing a bid.