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Now that Albuquerque City Councilor Martin Heinrich is officially buckled into the challenger's seat for a run against U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, here's a thought for any other Democrat thinking the same: Why?

Everyone wants a shot at this woman, but it might be time for some good, old-fashioned, levelheaded campaigning instead of hyperventilating.

It wasn't that long ago that the lust for her head over Iraq, the president and anything else made a Wilson loss look like a "fait accompli." There was a pretty good candidate in Patricia Madrid and a national populace at its wit's end.

It was as close to a T-ball setup as you could have possibly wanted.

It didn't happen. Wilson won.

For those who want to take her on, there's a different set of challenges now. If they plan campaigns based once again on anger and revenge, you can chalk it up as another bewildering loss.

And that includes those in the speculation swirl, which to date has included City Councilor Michael Cadigan, former City Councilor Eric Griego, State Rep. Jerry Ortiz y Pino and District Attorney Kari Brandenburg. Former University of New Mexico President Louis Caldera was actively campaigning at the Democratic state convention last month, as well.

Last week, outgoing state Health Secretary Michelle Lujan Grisham stuck a finger in the wind, saying she might try a run against Wilson.

Of all the potential challengers, however, the name that seems to keep coming up is Mayor Martin Chavez. Why, I don't know.

The mayor has his fans, but I just don't know if the push and pull of Congress suits his strengths. Factor in how difficult it is for freshman members to get any traction the first couple of years, and it just doesn't feel right.

But who cares. He's running for governor, so that's that.

But here's the thing. In just a few months, the situation in Iraq could have a crack of light at the end of the tunnel, and hooking a campaign to it will start to feel a little too 2006.

Heinrich, who reportedly has the blessings of Gov. Bill Richardson, is out there on the bitter edge of that problem already. The beats are all too familiar: an Iraq pull-out, corporate profits, congressional ethics and trade policy.

None of this worked last go-round, and it's doubtful it'll work for 2008.

The only wild card is the David Iglesias situation and Wilson's now-infamous phone call to Iglesias, but it's looking like she has cleared that mess.

Heather Wilson is certainly vulnerable and has been since Day One, but she's now in that stage of a congressional career where she has that bit of magic dust that shields her. She has earned it by doing solid constituent work that has put in her good standing.

There's so much need here that a national referendum just doesn't mean as much as it does in other districts.

The old political saw goes that a challenger has to make a compelling case for voters to fire an incumbent. Hitching your wagon to a president who is going to be gone in a blink didn't get it done, and it's not going to.

With all that said, Heinrich has a natural advantage going in as a city councilor. Council work is close-to-the-streets stuff: filling potholes, getting sidewalks fixed and the like. It's not sexy, and that's the point.

"That's how Domenici started," says Antoinette Lopez-Sedillo, a UNM law professor and political observer. "Here we have someone who is a hands-on guy who touches peoples' lives day in and day out."

That said, the trick for him is getting the rest of the district to see he can roll up his sleeves, keep his head down and deliver.

And keep Iraq and the administration in reasonable proportion.

It's certainly early, but whether you choose to believe it or not, this district truly is different. A Democrat is going to have to show he or she is different, as well.