Party-Switcher David Pfeiffer (R-NM) Announces Campaign For U.S. Senate

The Free New Mexican ^ | August 31, 2005

[Clintonfatigued]

Pfeiffer, a Republican City Counciler from Santa Fe, said that people across the state have talked to him about border-security issues as he explored his run against U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman D-MM a low-key Silver City native who's held the seat since 1982.

[Clintonfatigued]

Jeff Bingaman has never faced a strong reelection challenge. I think that Pfeiffer, a Vietnam veteran from a Democrat stronghold, has great potential. And his emphasis on border security is encouraging.

[zbigreddogz]

Eh, this will be a second tier race at best. I like the guy, but I don't expect him to be able to pull the upset.

That said, if he runs a respectable race, he might well have a future, but I really don't expect him to win this time around.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"this will be a second tier race at best"

---

Unfortunately, I think Red Dog is right. We could have made this a first-tier race had Congresswoman Wilson or the state senator who ran for governor in 2002 (Sanchez?) run, but Pfeiffer faces rather long odds here. Still, one never knows when lightning will strike, and had the GOP run better candidates in New Mexico, Nebraska, California, North Dakota, New Jersey, Wisconsin and Connecticut in 1994 we could have gotten 60 Senators by January 2005. Pfeiffer will at least keep Bingaman honest and could pull off the upset if we have a better-then-expected Election Day 2006.

[California Patriot]

Don't sell this guy short. One, former Democrats who join the GOP are usually better at politics than lifelong GOPers. Two, it looks like he may run on immigration, a powerful issue. Three, he's from a Rat area. Four, he has actually held public office. Five, he's a Vietnam vet. And finally, give the man credit for running against an incumbent. Lots of Republican officeholders who would be strong candidates don't take the risk.

[Clintonfatigued]

Second-tier is right, but every election cycle features second-tier races producing upsets.

[zbigreddogz]

Ummm, not at a statewide level. I wouldn't say there was any statewide second-tier upsets in 2004. There were two house races, (The Indiana one, Hill? I think that's name, and Melissa Bean's victory), but I no Governors or Senators were randomly upset.

And I guess you could make the case for Sunny Perdue or Chambliss in 2002, but they were top contenders, just against opponents that were considered untouchable.

[Clintonfatigued]

Latest news: David Pfeffer has a campaign website:

http://www.pfeffer-for-senate.org/

[CedarDave]

BUMP