UPDATED: No Sanchez Senate Announcement Until After Leg. Session

File this one in the “not so fast” bin. As it turns out, New Mexico Lt. Gov. John Sanchez won’t make any announcement about a U.S. Senate run until after the current session of the New Mexico Legislature ends on March 19.

Capitol Hill publication Roll Call, citing unnammed sources, had a headline this morning that said Sanchez, a Republican, was “joining” the U.S. Senate race. The report did not say when Sanchez would announce, exactly, but it made an announcement seem imminent. The Hill, another Washington publication, also citing unnamed sources, then ran a report this afternoon stating that the Roll Call report was “premature.”

Now, a spokesman for Sanchez at the state Capitol who actually has a name  — Mark Van Dyke — tells me that while Sanchez has been been getting a lot of encouragement to run, he won’t make an announcement for at least nine days.

“An imminent announcement is premature,” Van Dyke said. “I can assure you as focused as he is on the session, you will not be hearing any type of announcement or declarative statement until after the session.”

Van Dyke also said Sanchez is coming to Washington, D.C. later this month to attend a national lieutenant governors’ convention. Of course, if Sanchez does decide to run for the Senate, that visit is likely to include meetings with Republican party strategists and fundraisers, as well.

Thanks for clearing this up, Mark. And for going on the record to do so.

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Another Capitol Hill publication, citing unnamed sources, now says a report earlier today that Lt. Gov. John Sanchez would enter the U.S. Senate race is “premature.”

According to the Hill newspaper: “Expectations of an imminent announcement are premature,” the associate
of Sanchez told The Ballot Box, noting that the Republican was focused
on the current legislative session, which runs through noon on March 19.”

Earlier this morning, Roll Call – also citing unnamed sources – said Sanchez was “poised” to run. Sanchez has indicated publicly that he’s considering a run, but has made no commitment to do so.

Meanwhile, Sanchez’s office has not returned calls and a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee said he has no information about a possible Sanchez campaign announcement.

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Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, a Republican, will reportedly run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Jeff Bingaman.

Former Republican Rep. Heather Wilson announced her candidacy for the U.S. Senate on Monday. According to Roll Call, Sanchez would position himself to the right of Wilson, viewed by many in the Republican party as a moderate.