National Republicans have successfully courted a potentially strong candidate to retain their hold on the seat of Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM), who is running for the Senate next year: Benalillo County Sheriff Darren White, who is expected to announce his bid today.

The NRCC thinks that White, a popular local sheriff in a Democratic-leaning county, is their best bet to retain a district that both Al Gore and John Kerry carried by narrow margins.

On the Democratic side, Albuquerque city councilor Martin Heinrich is the early favorite for the nomination, but Wilson's departure could attract other candidates to what is shaping up to be one of the most hard-fought House races in the country next year.

GOP Rep. Heather Wilson, a protege of retiring Senator Pete Domenici, has decided to launch a run for her mentor's seat, sources close to Wilson are now telling The Hill.

Wilson barely survived a squeaker of a reelection campaign against Dem challenger Patricia Madrid, and since then, Wilson has been further weakened by the Attorney Purge scandal and by the Iraq War, of which she's been a gung-ho supporter. Should a credible Dem candidate turn up, the seat will almost certainly be seen as leaning Democratic.

Late Update: DSCC chief Chuck Schumer has just released a statement wishing Domenici well and professing confidence in the Dems' ability to win the seat:

“New Mexico is a state where Democrats have a long history of winning elections, and with a deep bench of talented Democratic candidates, we look forward to fielding a nominee who will wage a successful campaign. We feel very good about our chances to increase the Democratic majority in the Senate next year.”

Democratic challenger Patricia Madrid is turning down debates against incumbent Heather Wilson (R-NM), an unusual move for a challenger in a tight race. Madrid apparently thinks that the country so overwhelmingly favors Democratic candidates that it’s more important for her to avoid potential gaffes than to score points against Wilson, a talented debater. The latest poll shows Madrid just two points behind Wilson, but there's no doubt is a risky move in a tough district for Dems to win.