CNN

Richardson has no interest in running for the Senate, an advisor said.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has no interest in seeking the seat of retiring Republican Sen. Pete Domenici, a senior political adviser to the governor tells CNN.

“Gov. Richardson is running for the White House unequivocally, and we are going to be the Democratic nominee,” the adviser said.

Richardson is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, but there have been rumors that he would drop out of the race and run for the Senate if Domenici retired. Domenici, 75, was set to announce his retirement Thursday afternoon at a news conference in Albuquerque. Domenici was first elected to the Senate in 1972.

The senior Richardson adviser noted that if Richardson does not win the Democratic nomination, he will return to his job as governor. Richardson made a similar comment during a recent CNN editorial board meeting.

“He has no interest,” in the Senate seat, the adviser emphasized. “He will go back and continue his job as governor serving the people of New Mexico.”

– CNN Political Editor Mark Preston

Domenici is the fourth Senate Republican to announce his retirement.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Veteran Republican Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico will announce Thursday that he will not seek re-election to a seventh term next year, opening up yet another competitive seat for the GOP to defend, three Republican sources told CNN Wednesday.

Domenici, 75, who was first elected to the Senate in 1972, will make his retirement announcement at 4 p.m. (6 p.m. ET) at St. Mary's School in Albuquerque, the grammar school he attended as a boy.

A Domenici aide told CNN that the senator will be very specific about his reasons for retirement, which the aide said have nothing to do with either his poll numbers or the scrutiny Domenici has faced over the firing of a federal prosecutor in New Mexico.

The departure of Domenici is a further blow to Republican chances of retaking the Senate in 2008, opening up fifth GOP seat to defend in a state where Democrats are highly competitive.

Sitting Republican senators in Virginia, Colorado and Nebraska have also announced their retirements, and Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho, caught up in a sex scandal, has indicated he won't seek re-election and may leave the Senate sooner if his battle to overturn a guilty plea to disorderly conduct charges isn't successful.

In order to regain control of the Senate, Republicans must make a net gain of just two seats. However, they are defending 22 seats - including the five open seats - while Democrats have just 12 to defend. While Democrats haven't won a Senate seat in Idaho in more than 30 years, the open races in New Mexico, Virginia, Colorado and Nebraska are likely to be competitive.

Read the rest of this entry »