More Local Politics

• Red lights, cameras, action: Albuquerque program back on, but so is feud
• New Mexico hopefuls for U.S. Senate tout experience at debate
• Reports: Personal funds help some New Mexico congressional candidates

MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
  08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008
• Congressman is indicted
  08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Series of attacks target Green Zone
  08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Iran is defying U.N., agency says
  08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Waterboarding approval probed
  08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008

TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*

• Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
• Is Rome Burning?
• Ominous Skies
• The Road to Invalidation
• Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

SHARE THIS STORY [?]

WASHINGTON — Sen. Pete Domenici will report Monday that he has more than $500,000 in his campaign fund, a total that aides hope will quiet talk that he might not seek re-election in 2008.

"It shows he's running an aggressive campaign," Domenici's campaign finance director, Heidi Fuller, told The Tribune after releasing the summary pages from the full report that will be filed Monday with the Federal Election Commission.

"It's right in line with our goals," Fuller said, which are to raise $1 million in the first six months of 2007 and more than $4 million for the race.

Domenici raised $393,000 in the first three months of 2007, including $90,000 at an Albuquerque fund-raiser Feb. 20, according to the documents. The campaign ended the quarter March 31 with $541,116 cash on hand.

Domenici, an Albuquerque Republican, turns 75 on May 7 and suffers from painful joints. He has had to battle persistent rumors that he might retire.

Those appeared to die down after he reasserted his intention to run after the Nov. 7 election, in which Republicans lost control of the Senate.

But speculation was re-ignited after he became the subject of a Senate Ethics Committee inquiry because of a phone call he made last October to then-U.S. Attorney David Iglesias about a government corruption probe. Iglesias said he felt pressured by the call and believes it led to his firing by President Bush on Dec. 7.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Web site says this of the New Mexico race: "Pete Domenici continues to waver on his decision to put up a re-election bid in 2008, and while he says he is running, his health is reportedly in a precarious state. If Domenici decides not to run for re-election, Democrats have a serious pickup opportunity in New Mexico. Domenici, meanwhile, had a meager $260,000 in the bank at the end of 2006."

Democrats have yet to recruit a top-tier candidate to oppose Domenici.

Fuller said the controversy over Iglesias has not hurt fund-raising.

"We have people calling me saying they want to help because they find the whole thing ridiculous," she said.

Fuller also said the campaign has not raised its fund-raising targets because of the controversy.

Domenici's total is dwarfed by what was spent on most Senate races in 2006 but is comparable to what Sen. Jeff Bingaman, a Silver City Democrat, raised and spent on the way to an easy victory over Allen McCulloch of Farmington last year.

Bingaman raised about $230,000 in the first quarter of 2005 and had $556,000 in cash on hand at the end of the period. He wound up spending about $3.3 million. Domenici spent about $4.6 million on his last re-election race in 2002.

"Comparing New Mexico races to other states is like apples and oranges," said Fuller, noting New Mexico has only one TV market for advertising because Albuquerque stations broadcast to the entire state.

Rebecca Fisher, communications director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said the fund-raising report is another example of the "significant momentum" Domenici has early in the election cycle.

"He has been a stalwart in the state and has fought hard to gain the reputation of being a champion of his constituents," Fisher said.

The executive director of the New Mexico Democratic Party, Matt Farrauto, said he is still isn't convinced Domenici will run, or should.

"New Mexicans of all ideological and political stripes question his judgment and ethics. And it would be best for everyone if he capped his career with grace as opposed to a bloody campaign about his deficiencies," Farrauto said.

If Domenici does run, Farrauto said, he is confident Democrats will have a strong candidate to face Domenici "when he's the weakest he's ever been."

University of New Mexico political science professor Lonna Atkeson said Domenici's fund-raising report "suggests he's taking it seriously and is planning to run again."

Strategically, Democrats want to keep the story about a possible Domenici retirement "going as long as possible" because it will help with recruitment and keep the focus on Domenici's health and the Iglesias case, she said.

Domenici has a huge, albeit declining, base of support in New Mexico, but scandal is the one thing that can trump incumbency, said Atkeson.