Chavez poll shows competitive race with N.M.’s Wilson

Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez (D) sought to prove his viability in New Mexico’s 2008 open Senate race by releasing a poll Monday showing himself leading Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) in a head-to-head match-up.

{mosads}Chavez leads Wilson 41-40 in the poll, which was conducted by his pollster, Lake Research Partners. The firm conducted the poll earlier this month, prior to Rep. Steve Pearce’s (R-N.M.) entry into the GOP primary, and the memo does not include questions on his candidacy.

Chavez is not seen as the Democrats’ strongest candidate, but he is so far the only major Democratic candidate in the race. Gov. Bill Richardson (D) is moving forward with his presidential campaign and dismissing the Senate talk, and Rep. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) has said he won’t run. Lt. Gov. Diane Denish (D), meanwhile, is still weighing her options and is receiving heavy pressure to enter the race.

In the poll of 400 likely voters, 34 percent said they strongly support Chavez, while 28 percent said they strongly support Wilson. Chavez also leads 48-30 among independent voters.

The polling memo makes the case that Wilson is polarizing and has high negatives. More than half (53 percent) of respondents disapproved of her job performance.

Wilson was implicated in the U.S. attorney scandal in March when fired U.S. Attorney David Iglesias said she and Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) contacted him during the 2006 election and pressured him be more aggressive on corruption cases.

Wilson has denied applying such pressure. Domenici announced earlier this month that he would not seek a seventh term in the Senate.

SurveyUSA polling from earlier this month showed Wilson leading Chavez 48-44. Chavez also trailed Pearce 56-35 and polled significantly worse in the general election match-ups than Richardson and Udall, who each led both Pearce and Wilson by at least 18 points.

Chavez has run statewide before, losing a gubernatorial race in 1998. His favorability (46 percent) is more than twice his unfavorability (22 percent) in the new poll.

“With his strong personal favorability and job performance ratings and his early strength in electoral support, Marty Chavez is well positioned to become the next U.S. Senator for New Mexico,” the memo says.

In response, Wilson’s campaign attacked the polling firm, which polled for former state Attorney General Patricia Madrid (D) in her losing bid against Wilson last year.

“They said that Patricia Madrid would win. They were wrong then; they’re wrong now,” said spokeswoman Heather Wade.