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In May 1998, David Iglesias wasn't running so much for New Mexico attorney general against Democrat Patricia Madrid as he was running straight into oblivion. Though he'd been campaigning for months, he was as unknown as tomorrow.

He had to take action. He hired a young, female campaign manager who believed he could win. But when she asked then-state Republican Party Executive Director Kevin Moomaw for a list of media firms for the race, Moomaw laughed out loud.

To buy any media, the Iglesias team would need at least $100,000, maybe $150,000 in the bank - minimum. Not likely, Moomaw offered. But Iglesias wasn't afraid of a fight or hard work. Contrary to memories reported by some GOP insiders, he campaigned around the clock.

Nary a powerful Republican from the Potomac to the Rio Grande paid much attention to the life or campaign of Iglesias until late July 1998 - roughly the time the campaign had banked around $150,000.

Magically, he became his party's favorite son. Suddenly, folks like Sen. Pete Domenici and his staff were eager and ready to help. Sweet, eh?

From 24 points down on Labor Day, Iglesias battled to within fewer than four points of Madrid. He raised more than $365,000, including debt-retirement funds - a record for a Republican in an AG's race at that time.

Iglesias' showing made him the party's top draft pick to run for governor in 2010.

But does he need to wait?

You see, as a result of the inappropriate calls to his latest office - he was replaced this week as the U.S. attorney in Albuquerque - from Sen. Domenici and District 1 Rep. Heather Wilson, it's not hard to imagine him as a candidate for Congress in 2008.

Domenici may have recommended Iglesias for the U.S. attorney spot. But anything other than social contact between the two should have stopped there. Apparently, it didn't.

Now Potomac-watchers are declaring the once-invincible Domenici vulnerable - to Democrats Bill Richardson or Tom Udall, sure, but perhaps also to a challenge from within his own party.

Everything that made Iglesias such an asset to New Mexico Republicans - good looks, Hispanic, a steadfast demeanor, a veteran and a "man of faith," as he describes himself - remains. And when Iglesias placed his duty as U.S. attorney ahead of politics, he easily added more than a few pounds of integrity to his r‚sum‚.

Would powerful Republican interests line up against Iglesias in a primary against Domenici or Wilson? Absolutely. But bucking the party - and winning - has been done before.

No one rocked a bigger boat than the late Rep. Steve Schiff. Schiff in his primary race defeated Ed Lujan, then state GOP chairman and younger brother of mega-term Rep. Manuel Lujan. Schiff's win bruised a lot of huge egos, but the party survived.

I'm guessing no one in Domenici's or Wilson's offices expected Iglesias to turn around and fight after he received the long knife. They didn't know him very well, apparently.