Free Republic

The daughter of New Mexico’s last Republican senator has set a new fundraising record for a GOP Senate candidate in the blue-leaning southwestern state. Nella Domenici's campaign announced early Friday that the candidate brought in over $1.25 million from mid-January, when she launched her bid, through the end of last month, which brought to a close the January-March first quarter of 2024 fundraising. Domenici, the daughter of former longtime Republican Sen. Pete Domenici, is the presumptive GOP nominee and is aiming to defeat Democrat Sen. Martin Heinrich, who is running in November for a third six-year term representing New Mexico...

The New Mexico seat is just one of many that Republicans are hoping to pick up in what could be a very good year for them, especially in comparison to the 2022 midterm elections.

Pete Domenici, former New Mexico GOP senator, dead at 85 FOX News FOX News FoxNews.com 2 hrs ago Pete Domenici, who became a power broker in the Senate for his work on the federal budget and energy policy, has died. © AP2010 Pete Domenici, who became a power broker in the Senate for his work on the federal budget and energy policy, has died. Pete Domenici, the longest-serving senator from New Mexico, died on Wednesday, Fox News confirmed. He was 85 years old. The former longtime Republican senator recently underwent abdominal surgery and was placed in intensive care after a...

Former New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici told the Journal on Tuesday he fathered a son outside of his marriage over 30 years ago, revealing a secret kept for decades. (snip) She [the mother] is a daughter of former U.S. senator and Nevada Gov. Paul Laxalt....

Former Sen. Pete Domenici retired from Congress in 2009, but as we’ve noted here before, he hasn’t retired from working on the nation’s fiscal problems. For the past couple of years, the New Mexico Republican has been reporting to work at the increasingly influential Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington think tank with the admirable goal of trying to encourage bipartisan solutions to the nation’s challenges. For the past several weeks, Domenici has been up on Capitol Hill seeking an audience with just about any member of Congress who would listen. His message? Put your ideology aside and get to work...

Republican gubernatorial candidate Susana Martinez gained in stature at today’s Republican Party preprimary nominating convention. Allen Weh did what he needed to do. And Pete Domenici Jr. is down but not necessarily out. That’s how Albuquerque pollster Brian Sanderoff analyzed the results following today’s vote. Martinez won the support of 46.65 percent of delegates at the Republican convention. Weh finished second with 26.32 percent, followed by Janice Arnold-Jones at 13.16 percent and Doug Turner at 9.23 percent. Domenici finished last, with 4.61 percent of the vote. “The big surprise here is the margin of Susana Martinez’s victory,” Sanderoff said. “The...

Pete Domenici Jr. may not have any political experience-- he's spent the last two decades working as a lawyer in Albuquerque-- but he says thanks to his father's many years in politics, he's had a front-row seat to witnessing how the state should be run. Refer to the story at the link.

Former Sen. Pete Domenici's (R-N.M.) son is edging toward a gubernatorial run in New Mexico. "I'm looking very seriously at it," Pete Domenici, Jr. (R) told the Albuquerque Journal. "I'm going to make a decision in a few days." Domenici, an attorney who hasn't held elected office, said yesterday that he has been contemplating a run since before the holiday season and could launch a campaign shortly. If he does enter the race, Domenici would bring solid name ID to the four-strong Republican primary field. His father, a six-term senator who retired in 2008, remains popular in New Mexico.

Recently retired U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici is the focus of a federal grand jury investigation of the U.S. attorney scandal, along with several Bush White House officials, according to an online report Wednesday in TPM Muckraker. However, Domenici's attorney on Wednesday denied the retired Republican senator is at the center of the investigation. "The investigation exists, but it's not focused on Senator Domenici to the exclusion of others," Washington lawyer Lee Blalack told a reporter. According to the Muckraker report, the grand jury is investigating whether Domenici and others tried to improperly press former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias to bring...

WASHINGTON — He doesn't claim to be cured, but Sen. Pete Domenici said Tuesday that a prominent doctor has raised doubts he suffers from the degenerative brain disease that prompted his decision to retire from the Senate after 36 years in office. Cured or not, Domenici said he's feeling better than he has in months and is optimistic about his future based on recent medical diagnoses. A devout Catholic, Domenici didn't discount the power of prayer in connection with his improved condition. Domenici said he doesn't know why his condition hasn't worsened, but said he suspects God has played a...

A Domenici spokesman, Chris Gallegos, confirms Pearce's announcement that the longtime senator will announce his backing of Pearce Thursday in Albuquerque. Pearce is running against a fellow New Mexico congressman, Democrat Tom Udall, for the seat that Domenici has held for six terms. Domenici announced last fall that he is retiring in January because of an incurable brain disease. His support of Pearce comes nearly three months after he endorsed Pearce's rival, Republican Rep. Heather Wilson, in her unsuccessful bid for the Senate seat during the primary election.

A photo finish appears to be in the works as a Survey USA poll shows Heather Wilson closing in on Steve Pearce in the last weekend of the primary campaign. Pearce is still clinging to a slim lead, but it's well within the poll's margin of error. The poll, conducted Friday through Sunday, shows Pearce ahead by one percentage point, 48 to 47. Wilson closed in on the three point lead Pearce had in the poll two weeks ago. The poll may reflect Pete Domenici's eleventh hour endorsement of Wilson as his choice to replace him in the U.S. Senate....

New Mexico voters have never seen this many open congressional seats: None of the state's three House members is seeking re-election, nor is longtime Sen. Pete Domenici. The unprecedented turnover will leave New Mexico with precious little seniority when the next Congress convenes. All three House members — two Republicans and a Democrat — decided against running for another term and instead sought Domenici's Senate seat. The six-term Republican is retiring because of a degenerative brain disease. For Democrats, this year's election offers their best chance to pick up seats that have been in the hands of the GOP for...

NMCEP will lead an event in early 2008 that will define the expectations of Americans that they be provided with reliable and competitively priced energy. This will be the first attempt to inject rural viewpoint into energy policy. Senator Pete V. Domenici is expected to deliver a major address at the event. Additional event details will be up soon.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Pete Domenici, ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today introduced legislation intended to dramatically increase domestic production of oil and natural gas in order to lower prices and make America less dependent on foreign sources of oil. The American Energy Production Act of 2008 (S.2958) was introduced today by Domenici and nineteen co-sponsors from across the country. By expanding production offshore and in Alaska, the legislation will produce up to 24 billion barrels of oil-enough to keep America running for five years with no foreign imports. In addition, billions more barrels of...

The Senate Ethics Committee says he should never have picked up the phone, but that it found no substantial evidence Sen. Pete Domenici tried to improperly influence an ongoing investigation when he called then-U.S. Attorney David Iglesias in October 2006. The committee made its finding in what it called a "Public Letter of Qualified Admonition" issed to the longtime Republican senator on Thursday. The ethics committee said Domenici should have known that his call "created an appearance of impropriety that reflected unfavorably on the Senate." Domenici, who plans to retire from the Senate after 36 years early next year, called...

ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today announced that New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici has endorsed the candidacy of John McCain for the Republican nomination for president. Senators Domenici and McCain spoke by phone today, and Sen. Domenici issued the following statement: "Today I am very pleased to endorse my colleague, Sen. John McCain, for the Republican nomination for president. "My many years working with John McCain persuade me that he is the best candidate on the issues upon which I have spent most of my career -- deficit reduction, federal spending reform, a strong military, and...

New Mexico's political scene continues its upheaval after Sen. Pete Domenici's announcement that he plans to retire at the end of his term. Rep. Tom Udall's office confirmed to Action 7 News Political Reporter Matt Grubs this afternoon that the Northern New Mexico Democrat might run. "New Mexicans have urged Tom Udall to reconsider running for the United States Senate and he's doing just that," said Udall spokesperson Marissa Padilla. If Udall decides on a senatorial run, he would face several Democrats who have already declared their candidacy. The most-recognized name among them is Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez. Should Udall...

Republican Congressman Steve Pearce will run against Congresswoman Heather Wilson for the Republican nomination to succeed Senator Pete Domenici, according to an online report published Tuesday. ABQJounal.com cites a “person familiar with Pearce’s plans” in reporting that the southeastern New Mexico Congressman will notify friends and supporters by email of his intention to run. The Associated Press reports that "a source close to Pearce" confirms he will run, but only on the condition of anonymity. Pearce, who represents the southern part of New Mexico, is generally considered to be more conservative than Wilson, whose congressional district is in the central...

Pete Domenici went back to his hometown school gym Thursday to make what was probably the hardest speech of his 41-year political career. Surrounded by nearly 50 relatives and staffers, many in tears, Domenici gamely described the incurable neurological disease that he has been suffering from for two years and announced it will end his Senate career. With a big, blue "People for Pete" button on the lapel of his dark suit, he also vowed to complete his sixth term and listed some of his accomplishments in a Senate career that has lasted more than a generation. ~~snip~~ After standing...