Nella Domenici, the daughter of former New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici who just launched a Senate bid, has already received the necessary signatures to get on the primary ballot, a sign that Republicans are taking her candidacy and her chances of expanding the Senate map seriously.
Domenici has received over 3,900 signatures to get on the primary ballot. She reached the minimum threshold of 2,351 signatures within four hours of officially launching her campaign.
In a statement first shared with The Messenger, Domenici said she was “overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from New Mexicans on the first day of this race.”
“The response has been deeply encouraging as we launch this effort to get our state back on track. For too long, New Mexicans have been left behind by destructive policies from Santa Fe and Washington,” she continued. “Our amazing state—and its people—deserve so much better from our leaders. I’m running to put my experience and determination to work for New Mexico so families in our state truly have the opportunity to live the American dream.”
Domenici, the former CFO of Bridgewater Associates, the world’s biggest hedge fund, was recruited by the National Republican Senatorial Committee to try and put Democrats on defense on their turf. To be sure, New Mexico is a tough state for Republicans — the senior Domenici was the last Republican to hold the seat. Sen. Martin Heinrich, who Nella Domenici is challenging, won reelection in 2018 by more than 30 points. However, when President Biden won the state in 2020 by ten points, the open Senate race between now-Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Luján and Republican Mark Ronchetti was closer, with Luján winning by about six percentage points.
"I’m pleased Nella Domenici is running for Senate in New Mexico. Nella’s experience at the highest levels of business, commitment to securing our border, and passion for improving education make her a strong candidate to flip this seat,” said NRSC Chairman Steve Daines when she launched her campaign.
A graduate of Georgetown University and Georgetown Law School, Domenici also has a degree from Harvard's Business School. She's also held positions at Credit Suisse and Citadel Investment group.
But first, she will have to defeat former Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales, a former Democrat, in the GOP primary.
New Mexico is not key to Republican hopes of taking back the Senate. With the GOP poised to flip West Virginia, they can win control of the Senate if Republicans win the presidency even if the Democrats hold onto Montana and Ohio. Traditionally competitive states like Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, all held by Democrats, have seats on the ballot as well.
“Between a scandal-plagued Sheriff turned MAGA extremist and an East Coast elitist, New Mexico Republicans’ Senate primary is sure to be brutal,” said Democratic Party of New Mexico Chair Jessica Velasquez. “Party infighting will show how out-of-touch Republicans are with New Mexicans’ values. If Nella Domenici survives the dogfight, her close ties to Wall Street and her work for a mega-hedge fund that laid off American workers while investing in China will all face extensive scrutiny as Republicans’ primary intensifies. Democrats have won every Senate race in New Mexico since 2006, and we are confident Senator Heinrich will be reelected.”