Democrats and Republicans alike are gearing up for the 2020 election. The question of who will be our next president is at the top of everyone’s minds, but there will be key races downticket as well.
Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., announced Monday that he is not going to be running for re-election in 2020. “[T]he worst thing anyone in public office can do is believe the office belongs to them, rather than to the people they represent,” Udall wrote on Medium, an online blogging site. “That’s why I’m announcing today that I won’t be seeking re-election next year.”
Udall, who has been serving as a senator since 2009, also served as New Mexico’s State Attorney General. And with his seat up for grabs, some claim there is real potential for New Mexican Republicans to win it back. This is especially significant considering that all five members of the state’s congressional delegation are currently Democrats.
“The people of New Mexico deserve a senator who will fight for more jobs, lower taxes, and safer communities and we look forward to fielding a strong candidate in the New Mexico Senate race,” Jesse Hunt, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a statement.
Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, hinted that Democrats will probably keep Udall’s seat, but that it could force them to spend money they need elsewhere.
Sen. Tom Udall (D) of New Mexico will not seek a 3rd term in 2020. Seat will start as Likely D in this Blue state but Dems will spend $ for primary and general that could have been directed elsewhere.
— Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) March 25, 2019
Although New Mexico has historically been a swing state, it has become progressively bluer in recent years. Hillary Clinton won the state over Trump by more than eight percentage points in 2016, and Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham defeated Republican Steve Pearce in the 2018 gubernatorial race by a whopping 14 points.
Although this isn’t exactly encouraging news, there may be a small glimmer of hope for New Mexican conservatives. With Udall leaving in 2020, this is one of the best, if not only, chances New Mexicans have to put a Republican in the Senate, something that hasn’t really been feasible since Pete Domenici’s 2008 retirement. And with Udall voting against Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, New Mexico’s conservatives may actually turn out to vote in larger numbers than last time.
