New Mexico seats hotly contested

Openings for four of New Mexico’s five congressional seats remain hotly contested after Saturday’s pre-primary nominating convention, but a few candidates were able to put down markers in their races.

In the Senate race, Rep. Steve Pearce (R) took 55 percent of the vote and will lead the primary ballot in his race against Rep. Heather Wilson (R), who took 45 percent. The winner faces Rep. Tom Udall (D).

{mosads}In the race to replace Wilson, Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White (R) beat state Sen. Joe Carraro, 85 percent to 15 percent on the GOP side, while former Albuquerque City Councilman Martin Heinrich led two other Democrats in double digits with 56 percent.

For Pearce’s seat, banker Aubrey Dunn (R) led with 30 percent of the vote in a race where four candidates garnered at least 18 percent. On the Democratic side, Dona Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley beat former Lea County Commissioner Harry Teague, 49 percent to 36 percent.

In Udall’s district, state Regulation Commission Chairman Ben Ray Lujan (D) beat businessman Don Wiviott, 40 percent to 30 percent, while former Senate aide Marco Gonzales took 68 percent on the GOP side.