NEW MEXICO
      Nov. 6, 2012 U.S. Senate                                      

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+Martin Heinrich (D)
 		395,717
 		51.01%
Heather Wilson (R)
 		351,259
 		45.28%
Jon Ross Barrie (IAP)
 28,199
 3.63%
Robert L. Anderson (w/in)
 617

775,792
Registered Voters:  1,254,567.  Ballots cast:  786,522. 
Plurality:  44,458 votes (5.73 percentage points)
 NM Secretary of State


Notes:  Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D) announced on Feb. 18, 2011 that he would retire after five terms in the Senate.  U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich (D) defeated former U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson (R) to keep the seat in the Democratic column.

Heinrich served executive director of the nonprofit Cottonwood Gulch Foundation and for four years on the Albuquerque City Council including as president. Gov. Bill Richardson appointed him Natural Resources Trustee for New Mexico.  He was elected to Congress in 2008 in NM-1 succeeding Wilson. 

Wilson served in the U.S. Air Force and on National Security Council staff under President George H.W. Bush.  She was Secretary of the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department in the administration of Gov. Gary Johnson, then served in Congress for 10 1/2 years representing NM-1 after winning a special election in 1998.  In 2008 she ran for U.S. Senate, narrowly losing the Republican primary to U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce. 

In the June 5 primaries Heinrich defeated state Auditor Hector Balderas by 83,432 votes to 58,128 (58.9% to 41.1%), while Wilson defeated businessman Greg Sowards by 63,631 to 27,214 (70.0% to 30.0%). 

Heinrich and Wilson debated four times:
Oct. 11 - at KRQE Channel 13 studio in Albuquerque;
Oct. 17 - at the Doña Ana County Government Center in Las Cruces on K-FOX (>);
Oct. 21 - KOAT/Albuquerque Journal at KOAT;
Oct. 25 - at Sandia High School in Albuquerque on KOB-TV (>).

 According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the Heinrich campaign spent $6.7 million compared to $7.1 million for the Wilson campaign.  There was also $6.0 million in outside spending led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at $1.8 million (>).


Campaign Managers:
Martin Heinrich:  Adam Sullivan
Regional political director (West) for the DCCC in the 2010 cycle.  Managed Scott Murphy’s March 31, 2009 special election win for Congress in NY-20 after running U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand's 2008 re-election campaign in NY-20.  Consultant on John Hall's congressional campaign in NY-19.  Field director on Bruce Lunsford's campaign for governor in the 2007 Kentucky Democratic primary.
 
Heather Wilson:  Bryce Dustman
(June 2011)  Chief of staff to U.S. Rep. David Reichert, Jan.-May 2011.  Sales and marketing Rep. for Hill Family Estate, Jan.-Dec. 2010.  Chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Wilson, June 2001-Jan. 2009.  Communications director to U.S. Rep. Phil Crane, May 2000-June 2001.  Communications director for GOPAC, May 1998-Apr. 2000.  Marketing executive at The Duff Company, Feb. 1997-Apr. 1998.  Farm director for the Brownfield Network ag. radio network, Feb.-Dec. 1996.  Vice president at Fleishman-Hillard, Feb. 1995-Jan. 1996.  Communications director/legislative assistant to U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns, Jan. 1989-Jan. 1995.  Deputy news seecretary to U.S. Sen. John Danforth, May 1987-Dec. 1988.  Agribusiness owner/operator in Missouri, May 1979-Dec. 1987.  B.S. in general agriculture from Truman State University.
- staff of 15 employees
See also:
James Monteleone. "Race for the Senate: Martin Heinrich."  Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 21, 2012.

Michael Coleman. "Race for the Senate: Heather Wilson."  Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 21, 2012.

Justin Howarth. "This is Heather Wilson: Her private life in the public sector."  Santa Fe Reporter, Oct. 16, 2012.





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