Sen Domenici (R-NM) Retiring, Diagnosed with Brain Cancer

The senior senator from my state of New Mexico yesterday made a big announcement here in Albuquerque. After an beginning his O8 reelection campaign and fundraising to the tune of over a million dollars, Pete Domenici (R-NM) told the state that he was not going to campaign any further, and was no longer going to run for another term in his Senate seat. Watching him on the ten o'clock news last night it was clear to me that he was either seriously ill,with not just the arthritis and nerve damage that he's suffered from for some years now, but something big, or some underground political scandal was about to surface (Not, after the David Iglesias firing, an impossible scenario for Domenici). His was the face of a deeply troubled man. Just now I read the news that Domenici has been diagnosed with a progressive brain disease that may soon affect his ability to function in the manner in which such a high government official must.

It's almost impossible to imagine New Mexico without Senator Domenici, and his retirement announcement is but the prologue to a very interesting political season here. His leaving the Senate will remove a very powerful Republican player from the stage. The speculation and jockeying for position began yesterday as soon as his words hit the airwaves, with names of possible candidates from both parties being wildly tossed about. Among those names: Tom Udall, Patricia Madrid, Heather Wilson, Diane Denish (currently Lt. Governor, and of course the Gov himself, Big Bill Richardson. Richardson had a diplomatic sound bite about Domenici and his long and valuable blah blah blah service to the state, but said nothing about the possibility of his entering this race on last night's news. Actually, as there appears to be no chance of his winning the Dem nomination for the Top Spot, I'd love to have him in Washington as one of my senators. In any case, this certainly livens up the local political scene and the prospect of a good fight to elect another Democratic senator cheers me up no end.

Technorati Tags: New Mexico, Pete Domenici, Senate race

| +Save/Share | |