Well, this is supposed to Sen. Pete Domenici's day - and of course, it is - but politics doesn't really sleep and the phones lines are RAGING today.

The Hill newspaper just reported a web story citing an unnamed source who says Wilson is going to run. I've been trying since yesterday to confirm her intentions with regard to Domenici's seat, but her staff in Washington and Albuquerque refuses to confirm or deny anything to her hometown newspaper. My money, based on some conversations with very knowledgeable Washington Republicans, is that she will run.

It's not like Wilson's House seat is safe. She's going to have a grueling battle on her hands regardless - so why not wage it for a Senate seat instead of the House seat she's held for 10 years.

The Politico.com just hit the web with news that Wilson's finance director - Heather Wade - has asked supporters in an email to convene at her Albuquerque office tomorrow afternoon for an "announcement."

UPDATE 3:53 MST -- I got the email. Here it is:

Greetings,

I have been asked to gather a group of about 20 Heather Wilson supporters at the Heather Wilson for Congress office (6001 San Mateo NE, Suite B-1) tomorrow, Friday the 5^th, at 1:30pm.  If you can come, please let me know. If you want to bring a friend, who is a Heather supporter, that would be okay.

No, I don’t know why. No, I don’t have any information beyond what you know.

Please let me know if you can come over.

Thank you.

Heather Wade

Meanwhile, Sen. Domenici's office confirmed to me that he has no plans to endorse anyone today at his 4 pm announcement. I had heard this morning he might take the occasion to endorse Wilson, his protege.

Furthermore, Rep. Tom Udall's press secretary just told me he is  "seriously considering" a run for Domenici's seat but has not yet made a decision. Many powerful people in Washington have been encouraging Udall to run AGAINST DOMENICI for the Senate because of Domenici's frail health. So it's not like he hasn't been considering it.

My hunch is that Udall will also run, but I've been hearing this afternoon that he could be dissuaded from the race in part because of the huge sums of money he would need to raise to secure the seat.

No word yet from Rep. Steve Pearce's office as to whether he will run. He's the wildcard in the congressional delegation. He's run for U.S. Senate before so I know he's intrigued, but he'll have to weigh the risk of losing a relatively safe House seat. I'll keep you posted as I hear from Pearce's people.

Finally, Bill Richardson's press guy, Tom Reynolds, told me in Washington today that his boss has no plans to run for the Senate and is pursuing his presidential bid 100 percent.

One thought - if Domenici is somehow too ill to finish the remainder of his term Richardson could appoint someone - including himself -  to fill that seat. Timing could be everything. If Domenici bowed out early and Richardson's presidential campaign was stuck in neutral or imploding altogether that Senate seat might look a lot more attractive to him than it does now.

 But I've always been of the opinion that the U.S. Senate seat is not especially high on Richardson's political wish list.

Ahh. The intrigue. Feel free to email or call with your own theories.