Another GOPiggie Bails :: Sen. Pete Domenici Expected to Retire

[jefferson_dem]

Sen. Pete Domenici Expected to Retire

Veteran Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) is expected to announce tomorrow that he will retire from the Senate in 2008, according to several informed sources, a decision that further complicates an already difficult playing field for Republicans next November.

Domenici has struggled with health problems over the last several years and has been dogged by questions about the role he may have played in the firing of U.S. Attorney David C. Iglesias in Albuquerque. As a result, he had been long been rumored as a potential retirement. Domenici's Senate office did not return a call this afternoon, but sources close to the senator say he will fly home to New Mexico tomorrow to make the announcement that he is retiring.

The six-term senator joins Republican Sens. John Warner (Va.), Chuck Hagel (Neb.) and Wayne Allard (Colo.) on the sidelines for 2008.

The most likely candidates on the Republican side are Reps. Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce. Several Democrats are mentioned including Rep. Tom Udall, Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and former state Attorney General Patricia Madrid. The dream candidate for Democrats is Gov. Bill Richardson but his advisers insist he is not interested and focused on the 2008 presidential race. Wealthy businessman Don Wiviott is already in the race and has put several hundred thousand dollars of hiw own money into the bid.

Domenici, 75, the son of Italian immigrants, has been a dominant figure for decades on budget and energy matters. The long-time chairman of the Senate Budget Committee played key roles in budget and tax policy dating back to the Reagan administration. He shifted to the chairmanship of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee in November 2002, where he looked out for the interests of new Mexico's Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories and promoted the expansion of nuclear power. He has been the ranking member on the committee since the Democrats took back control of Congress in 2006.

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http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/10/sen_pete_domenici_expected_to.html

Senator Udall sounds great! :bounce: http://www.tomudall.house.gov/ :bounce:

[DemKR]

1. GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAHHHH

[tekisui]

2. Looking for Stevens in Alaska to be next to bow.

[ShadowLiberal]

3. Woo hoo!

:applause: Great news, another vulnerable seat the GOP has to defend

It would be great if we could get Bill Richardson to run for the senate seat, he's proven he can win statewide elections in New Mexico already.

:toast:

[Clintonista2]

4. I wonder what illegal act he performed?

I give it 2-3 weeks to come out.