The announcements for people running for New Mexico’s Second Congressional District open seat are starting to come in at a fast and furious pace. The current Representative, Steve Pearce (R), is leaving the seat to take a crack at the now-open Senate seat.
Today, State Rep. Jose Campos and restaurant chain owner Ed Tinsley announced their intentions to run. Jose Campos has political experience as a State Rep for four years and mayor of Santa Rosa for nearly a decade. Tinsley’s political experience comes in the form of running against Pearce in 2002, when he lost to Pearce while running for the open seat.
More under the fold. Crossposted at New Mexico FBIHOP.
Campos joins fellow Democrats Bill McCamley and Al Kissling in the race. Another Democrat in the race is Frank McKinnon, a former schoolteacher.
They are expected to be joined soon by State Rep Joseph Cervantes and (officially) by Harry Teague. Teague already told Democratic officials of his intention to run, but will make it public within the coming week. And Cervantes, who has been rumored in every cycle in the recent past to run for the seat, is widely expected to also throw his hat in the ring.
On the Republican side of things, Tinsley is the first announced candidate, but will not be the last to opt for a shot at the open seat.
Sid Goddard, chairman for the Republican Party of Doña Ana County, said he’s aware of about eight to 12 Republicans who are considering joining the race, but, other than Tinsley, none has stepped forward definitively yet. Potential candidates are likely gauging support, their competition and their odds, he said.
What makes this so interesting is not every candidate will get their names on the ballot. In fact, at most, four candidates from each party will get their names on the ballot, thanks to a new law enacted by the state legislature this past session. To get his/her name on a ballot, each candidate must garner the support of 20 percent of convention goers. Previously, candidates who did not reach the 20 percent threshold were able to gather signatures on a petition to get their name on the ballot.
No longer. And with three Democratic candidates already in the race, two more ready to jump in and possibly double-digit numbers of Republicans… things could get interesting before the March pre-Primary convention.
Actually, things seem to be getting interesting already when it comes to the Second Congressional District.