MyDD :: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall

NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall

by Jonathan Singer, Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 09:20:32 PM EST

Once Senator Pete Domenici got implicated in the prosecutor purge scandal at the beginning of the year, the New Mexico Republican saw his approval rating fall quite precipitously quite quickly, moving from 64 percent to 52 percent from February to May. For the following three months Domenici was able to maintain this level of support. But since August, signs have indicated that Domenici's numbers have plummeted. Take a look at the latest SurveyUSA numbers:

Approve 41 (52)

Disapprove 54 (41)

One poll can always be an aberration, so I'd probably wait at least a bit before writing of Pete Domenici. But given that Domenici is up for reelection in a state in which Democrats have been able to win statewide in recent years and his approval rating has floated around the 50 percent marker for several months, perhaps dipping significantly below 50 percent this month, it would be well worth it for the Democrats to take a real hard look at this race (as I have argued for close to a year, even before Domenici was caught walking around the Senate in his pajama bottoms, let alone when he got caught up in the prosecutor purge scandal).

So isn't it about time for Congressman Tom Udall to jump in this race? He's popular within the state and comes from a well respected political family, with one cousin already in the Senate (Gordon Smith) and another likely on his way (Mark Udall). He has a good deal of money in his campaign coffers -- $716,045.39 as of the end of July -- and access to much more were he to jump in the race. If you'd like to see him get in this race, making sure this is one of the Democrats' best pickup opportunities in 2008, send a nice email asking him to get in to Contact-at-UdallForUsAll-dot-org.

Tags: NM-Sen, New Mexico, Senate 2008 (all tags)

Permalink :: 21 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall (none / 0)

I hope he gets in.

I would have said some months ago that I would prefer Richardson run for the seat, but frankly after watching Richardson just make an incredible ass of himself over the campaign, I don't even want to see him run for the Senate. He should finish out his term and bow out from politics quietly.

It's amazing to me how someone got to be such a big shot diplomat with a serious case of foot in mouth disease.

by need some wood on Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 09:24:33 PM EST

Is Tom the son of Mo Udall? (none / 0)

Or his nephew? Just wondering. Not that it matters.

Join the Iowa progressive community at Bleeding Heartland.

by desmoinesdem on Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 09:45:30 PM EST

Re: Is Tom the son of Mo Udall? (none / 0)

Nephew.

by frankies on Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 10:49:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall (none / 0)

If Bill Richardson doesn't become our presidential nominee or picked as vp, I hope he decides to jump into the senate race. Richardson can win that seat.

by richochet on Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 09:45:41 PM EST

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall (none / 0)

I agree. Richardson has the choice between a vanity presidential run and a seat in the U.S. Senate. I wish he'd make the choice that our country needs him to make.

by lorax on Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 09:53:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall (2.00 / 1)

It's not necessarily a vanity run. He's a Clinton ally. Hillary needed someone with cred to run far to the left, making all kinds of promises that don't matter because he won't be nominated anyway (yet attract votes from top-tier candidates not named Hillary).

He's going to be rewarded with some role in another Clinton administration for it.

The sharpest criticism often goes hand in hand with the deepest idealism and love of country. ~RFK

by Vox Populi on Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 09:56:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall (2.00 / 1)

Hardly. Richardson is taking it to HRC as well as Obama and Edwards on Iraq. Visit http://www.getourtroopsout.com/

By the way:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/ july-dec07/richardson_09-24.html

That's link to Richardson's interview on PBS News Hour last night. Those that might not have considered his candidacy in depth and aren't firmly behind a candidate will find it of interest.

Bill Richardson: "Get out now. Get all our troops out now. It is the only right and responsible choice."

by Stephen Cassidy on Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 10:58:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall (none / 0)

I think that's the point. Having someone attack her from the far left makes her look moderate. Being "too liberal" is a longstanding criticism, not here, of course, but in the general public opinion. Of course, that is completely baseless, but first impressions are hard to overcome.

NJ Hussein Independent

by NJIndependent on Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 12:30:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall (none / 0)

I know we're all focused on getting to 60 in the Senate in the next elections, but for the long-term health of the party, local and state offices are critical too. That's why I think rooting for Richardson (or for that matter Sebelius in KS or Schweitzer in MT, etc. etc.) to jump ship from the governorship is penny-wise and pound-foolish.

Unless there's a good chance that another Dem will hold the governorship, it's far better, IMHO, to have Richardson there, developing the democratic bench and solidifying the state's Democratic leanings (remember, it's still quite purple), than to go to the Senate and see the governor's house go to a Republican who quickly turns NM red again.

To use a military analogy, you never overextend your supply lines when advancing a front. Otherwise your brief tactical victory will be defeated by your inadequate logistics.

by loon on Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 02:43:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall (none / 0)

Just as long as it's not Patricia Madrid... though she might be well-balanced against Senator Pajamapants.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJsaswfow Y0

The sharpest criticism often goes hand in hand with the deepest idealism and love of country. ~RFK

by Vox Populi on Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 09:54:39 PM EST

Re: NM-Sen: Not Patricia Madrid (none / 0)

Thanks for including the link to the painful moment on video, so we don't have to explain to those who don't know.

How did Mrs Madrid manage to prep for a debate and nobody anticipated that the Repub would claim that the Dems always favor higher taxes? And they called Ethelred II "The Unready"!

by Woody on Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 11:10:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NM-Sen: Not Patricia Madrid (none / 0)

I felt SO bad for her. But she was the frickin Attorney General! How'd she get elected statewide but gaffed BIG like that?

The sharpest criticism often goes hand in hand with the deepest idealism and love of country. ~RFK

by Vox Populi on Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 11:49:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NM-Sen: Not Patricia Madrid (2.00 / 1)

The nightmare before the big exam, when we dreamed we were in class wearing only our Fruit of the Loom tightie whities. So, yes, we've all been there, and I feel very bad for her too. I'm sure she's a basically decent, hard-working, intelligent person, because she was chosen as the Democratic nominee as well as the sitting AG. And no one had suggested that she was in any way incompetant -- until that awful moment.

But debate requires a particular skill set, usually mastered in practice, such as an incumbent member of Congress gets every week.

Watching the gruesome clip, to me it looks like she started by thinking too hard about the question, like an intelligent person. Wrong, serious analysis is not required in debate. Then she realized that she did not have a ready answer to a complex and tricky question, when she needed a flip and superficial reply with perhaps a joke included, such as can be prepped in advance. And she knew that her time was running out while the world was watching her flail about, with the stress leading to a meltdown.

I give her some credit for being able to get out of bed the next morning and go on with the campaign. That showed some real character.

by Woody on Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 11:17:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall (2.00 / 1)

Udall would be a great Senator, but this would also be a great opportunity to add a Latino to the US Senate (since there is only 1 other one D currently - Ken Salazar - along with Martinez R from FLA)... Richardson, Marty Chavez or a host of other talented Latino NM Democrats would be a great choice to replace Domenici...

Whoever, it is time for a serious Democrat to get into this race

Once social change begins,it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot oppress people who are not afraid anymore.

by terje on Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 12:20:28 AM EST

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Otros Amigos (none / 0)

Agree. It's time to start adding some Hispanics to the NM Congressional delegation. The current count is zero (0) out of five, right? Such a pity that Ms Madrid lost the debate and the election for NM-01.

Next door in Texas we do have hopes of sending Rick Noriega to the Senate next year. It's been a long time coming. I'm so old I remember when Henry B. Gonzalez ran in a special election for the Senate and finished last in a field of six. That would not happen today!

by Woody on Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 11:44:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall (none / 0)

Didn't Tom Udall already say he wasn't interested in the Senate?

by Unabridged on Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 12:56:57 AM EST

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall (none / 0)

The irony is that we are trying like hell to take his cousin OUT of office in Oregon...

by yitbos96bb on Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 01:30:37 AM EST

Re: NM-Sen: Paging the Missing Udall (none / 0)

Second cousin Gordon Smith might have had a chance to switch parties, like Sen. Jeffords, and join his family on the Democratic side. But he stuck with Bush, and now he's just a dead fish in the water.

by Woody on Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 11:52:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall (none / 0)

I thought political dynasties were bad. At least that's what I keep reading in the comments on this site (and I am somebody who would welcome Udall's candidacy).

by michaelrbn on Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 08:19:35 AM EST

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall (none / 0)

What about Gary King. His father defeated Pajama Pete during the 1970 NM Governors Race.

by nkpolitics on Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 09:45:40 AM EST

Re: NM-Sen: Paging Tom Udall (none / 0)

I don't know why people are writing off Don Wiviott in this race. I do seem to recall some time in the past when the "netroots" was supportive of outside the Beltway challengers with energy, money to back up their run (Wiviott has pledged up to a million of his own funds) and strong environmental and antiwar positions.

Udall has expressed zero interest in running. Nobody wants bully boy and Dem-lite Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez. And Richardson would just provide more DLC-connected "centrism." Is that what we want?

http://donfornewmexico.com/

Visit my blog Democracy for New Mexico

by barbwire on Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 12:04:57 PM EST

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