Thread: BREAKING: Domenici to announce retirement (3:39 p.m.)

BREAKING: Domenici to announce retirement (3:39 p.m.)
Sun News Report
Article Launched: 10/03/2007 03:37:29 PM MDT



LAS CRUCES — Six-term U.S. Senator Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) will retire next year, The Washington Post is reporting.

The newspaper cited unnamed sources who said that Domenici is expected to fly to New Mexico, where he will make the announcement on Thursday.

The newspaper said Domenici has recently been troubled by health problems and his involvement in the U.S. Attorneys' scandal.

"As a result, he had long been rumored as a potential retirement. Domenici's Senate office did not return a call this afternoon, but sources close to the senator say he will fly home to New Mexico tomorrow to make the announcement that he is retiring," the newspaper said.

The newspaper is reporting that the most likely candidates to replace Domenici on the Republican side are Reps. Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce. Several Democrats are mentioned including Rep. Tom Udall, Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and former state Attorney General Patricia Madrid.


For further updates, check the Sun-News Web site or pick up a copy of Thursday's newspaper.


http://www.lcsun-news.com/news/ci_7073919

Sen. Pete Domenici Expected to Retire

Veteran Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) is expected to announce tomorrow that he will retire from the Senate in 2008, according to several informed sources, a decision that further complicates an already difficult playing field for Republicans next November.

Domenici has struggled with health problems over the last several years and has been dogged by questions about the role he may have played in the firing of U.S. Attorney David C. Iglesias in Albuquerque. As a result, he had been long been rumored as a potential retirement. Domenici's Senate office did not return a call this afternoon, but sources close to the senator say he will fly home to New Mexico tomorrow to make the announcement that he is retiring.

The six-term senator joins Republican Sens. John Warner (Va.), Chuck Hagel (Neb.) and Wayne Allard (Colo.) on the sidelines for 2008.

The most likely candidates on the Republican side are Reps. Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce. Several Democrats are mentioned including Rep. Tom Udall, Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and former state Attorney General Patricia Madrid. The dream candidate for Democrats is Gov. Bill Richardson but his advisers insist he is not interested and focused on the 2008 presidential race. Wealthy businessman Don Wiviott is already in the race and has put several hundred thousand dollars of hiw own money into the bid.

Domenici, 75, the son of Italian immigrants, has been a dominant figure for decades on budget and energy matters. The long-time chairman of the Senate Budget Committee played key roles in budget and tax policy dating back to the Reagan administration. He shifted to the chairmanship of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee in November 2002, where he looked out for the interests of new Mexico's Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories and promoted the expansion of nuclear power. He has been the ranking member on the committee since the Democrats took back control of Congress in 2006.

Earlier this year, he joined several other Republicans in criticizing President Bush's Iraq war policies,. but he has not cast a vote in opposition to those policies.

More to come on this opening tomorrow...

By Eric Pianin | October 3, 2007; 4:30 PM


http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2 ... ed_to.html

GOOD he is an open borders sympathizer

Yayyyyyyyyyyyyy, try not to get raped by an illegal as you head out the door Pete.

good