While I know we’re all still recovering from Tuesday I’ll continue to focus on upcoming elections taking place next year and in 2018. Starting with New Mexico where there will be a Governor’s race and a U.S. Senate race:
Sen. Tom Udall and Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, both New Mexico Democrats, told the Journal on Wednesday they are seriously mulling gubernatorial bids in 2018. Rep. Steve Pearce, the delegation’s lone Republican, also said he would at least consider the prospect of a run for the powerful fourth-floor office at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe.
Democrats failed to recapture either the House or Senate on Tuesday, and Republican Donald Trump pulled off a surprise upset of Democrat Hillary Clinton in the race for the White House. The Republican sweep marks the first time in a decade that the GOP has controlled both Congress and the presidency, which will make it even more difficult for Democrats to get their legislation signed into law.
Udall, 68, has been mulling a run for governor for more than a year. Clinton’s defeat could make that option more attractive. The dean of New Mexico’s congressional delegation first told the Journal that he was considering a gubernatorial run in 2015, and the two-term senator sounded even more serious about the prospect in an interview Wednesday. Udall, whose current Senate term expires in 2020, could run for governor in 2018 without relinquishing his Senate seat.
If Udall runs and wins he can appoint his successor. As for the upcoming U.S. Senate race, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D. NM) has stated that he is planning on running for re-election. There are a ton of Governor races coming up and winning on local levels is a great start to recover from Trump. Stay tuned.