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New Mexico Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D) will not run for re-election in 2012, according to two sources with knowledge of his decision.
Bingaman was first elected in 1982, and he's currently serving his fifth term in the U.S. Senate.
Democrats say they're confident they will keep the Senate seat, especially in a presidential year (Obama won New Mexico with 57% of the vote in 2008). A top Dem candidate to replace Bingaman would be two-term Congressman Martin Heinrich (D).
Bingaman joins a 2012 Senate retiree list that includes Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Jim Webb (D-VA), and Jon Kyl (R-AZ).
Leave a Comment:
The world is changing.
That's one thing that is constant CHANGE!
Wonder if New Mexico's governor Richardson will run? Maybe?
Good afternoon Ron
Wonder if New Mexico's governor Richardson will run? Maybe?
That is a very good question. If he does it would help lean America and the world forward.
I doubt that he would. If I recall, he dropped out of the presidential race due to some issues with epionage charges against a nuclear scientist when he was at the energy department. Haven't heard much about the case since.
New Mexico's governor is no longer Bill Richardson. The governor is republican Susan Martinez, elected in November 2010.
http://www.governor.state.nm.us/
If you will recall former Governor Richardson had to withdraw his nomination as Commerce Secretary because he was facing a federal grand jury investigation into whether he exchanged government contracts for contributions to three Richardson political committees.
If Richardson is a Crook he would fit right in with the other crooks in Washington. That is how New York got rid of all the Mafia. The made them into New York senators and congressmen and sent them to Washington. Now arent they doing a great job at selling out the US people?
Please Insult Me... Great comment. I think they think they all walk on water. I do happen to be an Independent but see more excuses for their faults on liberal side.
Great news....one more seat that can be filled with an intelligent, level-headed, fiscally conservative human being. CAN"T WAIT for 2012!
Governor Susan Martinez is a Republican. While Richardson was very popular in N.M a few years ago most of his support was in the Sante Fe, and Taos areas the people in N.M seem to have gone to the more to middle maybe a little to the right.
NM resident speaking: If Richardson runs, it would assure a Republican takes the seat. He wore out his welcome with all but the most die-hard Democrats.
How many Dems is that now? I think they've seen what this OBAMA is all about and can't stomach the Progressive/Socialist that he is and the fact that he's taking our country down!
Daryl -
"That's because the Repubs are proud of and brag about their criminal behaviors"
I've only seen a couple do that - most by far say "I did wrong, resign, and disapear."
Anyone from the region (or the First Read crew)...is there anyone on the GOP bench there?
Yeah, they are all on the bench because they suck!
I don't blame him with the climate in Washington the way it is and the feeling towards politicians being what they are. Everything is far too polarized and nothing is getting done. I wish him well.
Another GOP takeover.
Don't bet on it...
You'd be a fool NOT to!
Considering how the new governor is selling out the state to corporate interests, don't bet on GOP going anywhere in NM next election...and that includes trying to throw out the worker safety and EPA regs NM workers have fought hard to get...and when she's done gutting what is left of education here, there isn't anyone working for a corporation who would relocate if they had kids anyway.
NM has always had a struggle because there are no urban centers besides ABQ/SF and Las Cruces - although that is becoming a senior village and joined to El Paso at the hip.
But this one thinks it's just hunky dorey if what's left of employment is toxic, what's left of education raises drones to work in toxic environments and ther is a barrier to energy technologies besides oil and gas.
With all due respect to the distinguished Senator Bingaman,
the [demo]rats are fleeing the sinking ship!
Yeah, Bob, the ship is sinking because the repugnants keep steering into the rocks!
Yes, that explains perfectly the referenced retirements of Kyl (R) and Hutchinson (R). I just know your name tag says "Bob-Rocket Scientist".
The rats are jumping off a sinking ship. Think about it - why would you waste all the money, time and effort on a losing campaign when the GOP train that is going to hit the Senate in 2012. There are 23 Dem seats up and only 10 Repub seats. A very unpopular teleprompter reader (TOTUS) who will have no coat-tails while getting "shellacked." It is easier to just retire on the public dole and spend your life in the beautiful state of New Mexico!
LOL! That was spot on grumpy_jon!
Now I know,that bright light in the sky is a reflection of Republican halos,for 85 yrs.everyone told me it was the SUN.
After 30 years, it's time to move on. Odds are good the D's will hold onto that seat. They will have to work hard there in NM but it can certainly be kept in the D column.
Richardson is fun to watch, and very smart, but a little sloppy. Doubt that he would run for Senate. He enjoys his special assignments.
Bob-1887910
With all due respect to the distinguished Senator Bingaman,
the [demo]rats are fleeing the sinking ship!
Since you choose to go there, the GOP(ers) rodents are spinning around in their hamster wheels chewing on and destroying everything they can catch hold to.
Of course, it's all in due respect. wink wink!
Bev,
hamster wheels? Really, thats all you got?
I thought of a good response, but then remembered some words of wisdom :
"Never Get Into A Battle of Wits With An Unarmed Opponent "
wink wink
Bob....
"Never Get Into A Battle of Wits With An Unarmed Opponent "......
BEST COME BACK OF THE DAY!!!!!
True American (really?):
Don't think so, dude; try to Google the statement with quotes and you will 5 pages of results. It will list everything from other people's quotes from the past to fairly recent Florida sports commentary. Do you and/or Bob ever get out and away from the keyboard?
 Another toilet clog down the drain.Â
Glad to see Bingaman leaving but would prefer previous Congresswoman Heather Wilson (R) get the seat over Heinrich.
There's a reason why she is a PREVIOUS Congresswoman.
As red blood red stater, Richardson is at least an experienced and competant liberal. Democrats could do much much worse than him, for instance Stewart Smiley.
I'm disappointed that Jim Webb is calling it quits. He must not like the Senate - he is a voice of reason that will be missed. Another smart guy.
Carla,
I may not agree with some of Sen. Webb says, but he is an intelligent and thoughtful person. The loss of his thought process will be missed in the Sen.
I can't say I blame him, after 30 years of trying to work with GOP morons on behalf of the moron population, I'd have gone 'postal' by now. Retire man, let them tear each others throats out. Go fishin' life's too short.
I suppose it is only the elite smart people in the democrat party. Both parties have people that are not so bright. Its to bad you are blinded by the democrat talking points that you can't see it for yourself. So of course you go by the old democrat way of showing how compassionate you are by name calling. Great strategy Mark.
Good post mr. mike. Mark1949 is the explination mark after the statement, "he just doesn't think!!"
.
I'm sad to see Bingamin leave, but Heinrich is going to make a great Senator. He will almost certainly run against former Congress Woman Heather Wilson, who is not popular statewide. Unfortunately though, that means Heinrich's Congressional Seat will be vacant, and that could very easily go back to the darkside.
Personally, I'm glad to see anyone who's been there for 30 years leave. What exactly was he doing while the government was serving noone but itself?
Sharon Angle may not have been so wrong, second amendment rights look good especially if used against tea partiers and repukes.
Gee are we advocating violence against your fellow Americans dembarb? The liberal azzhole that shot Gabby musta been listening to your rant. Jerk!!
So, after all is said and done, where are all the new jobs the tea baggers said would be created?
No, it was Obama and his 800 billion dollar stimulus which promised jobs which did not happen. Get it straight, real unemployment is around 19%, instead of hindering business with job killing taxes and healthcare cost, congress needs to defund that piece of crap healthcare bill, get the spending under control and stomp cap and trade along with the EPA into the ground. We need to be self-suffient in energy production which we can be if we use our heads and be as environmentally safe stewards as possible. New sources do not happen over night, it takes time, till that happens we have to use what we have and that is coal and oil. Sorry, Get use to it.
Bingaman was nearly a rubber stamp for everything Obama wanted. Bingaman has handed New Mexico over the environazis, New Mexico which is rich in oil and gas, nearly froze to death this month because everything produced is shipped out and of course on the return trip we're at the end of the tit.
Udall is a Harry Reid pet and another ateup liberal. But the bottom line is this come 2012, even if the economy is doing better and it is, if the jobs are not there, Obama is out. Plain and simple, the story is jobs, jobs and yes more jobs.
A majority of American people want government spending cut, the Republican congress has cut 60 billion from Obama's 1.5 trillion deficit budget. If Obama veto's it and shuts the government down, people will suffer and they will remember.
I agree, except when it involves cutting something that they personally benefit from. All of the back and forth between Republicans & Democrats has less to do with fixing a problem and more to do with currying favor with the interests that provided the dough to fund their campaigns. Regardless of which side prevails coming out of the 2012 elections there won't be a noticable difference in the average American standard of living.
The electorial base seems riled up now (on both sides) so the polictical theater that we are being exposed to now will only get more dramatic going forward into the campaign season for 2012.
Bill Richarson's talents wouldbe better used keeping an eye onNorth Korea-whichis a full tme jbinit's self. The last thing we need is a re-birth of the Korean war. Besides with all the northerners who've moved down there there mustbe somebody of talent who could run and isn't afraid of the Tea Party.
Another job killing liberal bites the dust. Hopefully he will be replaced by a fiscal conservative, whether he or she is a dem, repub or indep.
One thing about announcing this early is that you can now vote the way you actually feel instead of just following the "party line". This could be a benefit to the people, something politicians don't know much about.
Where was all the spending outrage when GWB was throwing away money, and shipping jobs and equipment overseas?
Democrats say they're confident they will keep the Senate seat, especially in a presidential year (Obama won New Mexico with 57% of the vote in 2008).
A rather over-optimistic opinion since 2010 showed a drop in Democrat's popularity in New Mexico along with the remainder of the U.S.