Free Republic

Prospects look good for Republican candidate Steve Pearce to take back his seat from Democratic Rep. Harry Teague in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District. A new Tarrance Group poll taken for Pearce shows him leading 50 percent to 41 percent, Roll Call reports. That’s the biggest advantage Pearce has shown in a public poll. The race has attracted national attention, with both parties’ national campaign committees putting money into the race. Several business and environmental groups also have made independent expenditures. The National Republican Congressional Committee has a presence in the district now, but the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee stopped...

The attacks on Democratic Rep. Harry Teague’s personal character and his conduct as a businessman are intensifying in the tight race for New Mexico’s Second Congressional District. A brief recap: Last week, Republican challenger Steve Pearce came out with a tough TV ad accusing Teague of pocketing $3 million from his family energy business, and then announcing — four days before Christmas — that he would eliminate his employees’ health insurance. Teague responded with testimonials from five employees praising his integrity. Now, Republicans are pointing out that three of those employees were co-defendants in a sexual-harassment lawsuit brought against Teague’s...

On Facebook Wednesday, Sarah Palin endorsed Steve Pearce for the U.S. House of Representatives in NM-02: Steve Pearce for New MexicoWith less than four weeks until Election Day, the momentum is clearly on our side. We must keep it going! Today, I’m happy to endorse another principled conservative running for Congress. Steve Pearce, in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, understands what makes this country great. As a decorated military veteran, Steve served our country with honor and distinction. As a successful business-owner, he has created real jobs for New Mexico. By sending Steve back to Congress, we add one more...

-SNIP-Running for seats now held by Republicans, both Democrats have commanding leads as their party tries to approach a filibuster-proof 60-40 majority in the U.S. Senate. In New Mexico, Tom has a double-digit lead over Republican Rep. Steve Pearce. And Mark is well ahead of former Rep. Bob Schaffer in Colorado with less than two weeks until the election.No one disputes that the climate favors Democrats enough to boost their congressional majorities by wide margins. Their confidence is reflected in what Tom Udall says is a request he's already made to Senate leaders for a seat on the coveted Appropriations...

Republican Steve Pearce has cut his opponent’s lead by more than half, but Democrat Tom Udall still leads 51% to 41% in the U.S. Senate race in New Mexico, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of voters in the state. With “leaners” factored in, Udall’s lead drops to 52% to 44%, the first time in five months of polling that the gap has been out of double digits. Last month, Udall had a 59% to 34% lead over Pearce.

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....

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in New Mexico shows that Democratic Congressman Tom Udall has widened his lead over potential Republican opponents in the race for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat. Udall now leads Republicans Steve Pearce 54% to 40% and Heather Wilson 56% to 36%.

Rep. Steve Pearce beat Rep. Heather Wilson to gain the top spot on the ballot for the U.S. Senate race in the June 3 primary at the state Republican preprimary convention Saturday. Pearce won with more than 54 percent of the vote, while Wilson had more than 45 percent of the vote from convention delegates, who are GOP party activists from around New Mexico.

A new SurveyUSA poll in New Mexico finds Congressman Tom Udall (D), who just declared his candidacy for the seat of retiring GOP Senator Pete Domenici, to be the clear frontrunner. For the Democratic nomination, Udall leads Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez by a 62%-32% margin, and also does better than Chávez in the general election match-ups. Udall leads the two Republicans, Representatives Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce, by margins of about 15% in both cases. If Chávez is the Democratic nominee, he trails Pearce by ten points and Wilson by one point. On the Republican side, Wilson is the frontrunner...

House Republicans are pushing legislation to protect airline passengers from lawsuits for reporting suspicious behavior that might be linked to a terrorist attack. Rep. Steve Pearce, New Mexico Republican, introduced the Protecting Americans Fighting Terrorism Act of 2007 on Thursday, a week after a lawsuit was filed by a group of Muslim imams who were taken off a US Airways flight in November. It is "unconscionable" that those who report suspicious activity could be "terrorized in our own court system in our own country," Mr. Pearce said on the House floor yesterday afternoon. The lawsuit asserts that the imams were...

New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce says he plans to draft a bill that would create a guest worker program for immigrants but prohibit amnesty for those who come to the country illegally.The legislation would add to a growing stack of bills in Congress dealing with immigration.The New Mexico Republican just finished a tour of southern New Mexico.He says he spoke with many constituents who want immigrants to be able to work in the U-S but who don't believe a guest worker permit should become a path to citizenship.He says that regardless of the particular form that a guest worker program...

Pearce Says U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan Should Resign Washington, Dec 16 - New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce Wednesday called on United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to resign because Annan has proven to be a "monumental failure"at running the world body. "Kofi Annan must be held responsible for the numerous failures under his watch as Secretary-General," Pearce said. "He wanted appeasement with Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. He has not proven to be effective in addressing the threat to America and civilized people by rogue states like Iran and North Korea and he refuses to acknowledge the scourge of global terrorism."...

Hastert stumps for Neugebauer By SEBASTIAN KITCHEN AVALANCHE-JOURNAL ABILENE — U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert told business people here Wednesday that he believes Republicans can capture more seats in Congress during the November election. "Texas is a great opportunity," he said. Hastert, R-Ill., campaigned in Abilene for U.S. Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R-Lubbock. About 75 people attended the event at the Abilene Civic Center. Neugebauer's race with fellow incumbent Charlie Stenholm, D-Abilene, is one of several that Republicans are hoping to win to increase their margin in the U.S. House. Hastert said he has heard people predict Republicans will acquire an...

Saturday, January 17, 2004 Gary King Takes a Home in Carlsbad By Rene RomoJournal Southern Bureau    LAS CRUCES— Gary King hopes his congressional campaign ends differently from the last time a King sought election to represent the 2nd Congressional District.     Gary King, a 49-year-old former state legislator from Moriarty, established an office and residence in Carlsbad in November in an early step toward seeking the Democratic nomination to unseat freshman Republican Rep. Steve Pearce.     King, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for governor in 1998, is the son of former three-time Gov. Bruce King.     King joins...