2006 United States Senate election in New Mexico

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2006 United States Senate election in New Mexico
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←  2000 November 7, 2006 2012  →
  Official Photo of Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) 2008.jpg Allen McCulloch.jpg
Nominee Jeff Bingaman Allen McCulloch
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote394,217163,761
Percentage70.60%29.33%
2006 United States Senate election in New Mexico results map by county.svg
County results
Bingaman:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
U.S. senator before election

Jeff Bingaman
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Jeff Bingaman
Democratic

The 2006 United States Senate election in New Mexico took place on November 7, 2006. The primaries were held June 6, 2006. Incumbent Democrat Jeff Bingaman won re-election to a fifth term in a landslide. This was one of five Democratic-held Senate seats up for election in a state that George W. Bush won in the 2004 presidential election.

Contents

As of 2025, this was the last time a Democratic Senate candidate, as well as any candidate in New Mexico, has won all 33 of New Mexico's counties.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Jeff Bingaman (incumbent) 115,198 100.00
Total votes115,198 100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Campaign

Pfeffer announced on August 23, 2005, that he would be entering the primary. A former Democrat, he supported George W. Bush in 2004 and became a Republican in 2005. In his campaign announcement, Pfeffer focused mainly on border controls with Mexico. He criticised Bingaman in comparison to his own support for reform of the Social Security system and the Iraq War as well as U.S. relations with China, saying "With all due respect, I do not believe the present occupier of the junior seat from New Mexico is doing all that can and should be done on these fronts," he said of Bingaman. "I believe I can do a better job..." Pfeffer also commented that he would have a hard time raising an amount equivalent to Senator Bingaman, a problem faced by any of the latter's potential challengers.

Results

Republican primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Allen McCulloch 29,592 51.04
Republican Joseph J. Carraro18,31231.59
Republican David Pfeffer10,07017.37
Total votes57,974 100.00

General election

Candidates

Campaign

Bingaman had a 60% approval rating in one poll. [2] He faced no primary opposition. There had been speculation that Bingaman would give up the chance to run for another term to pursue a lobbyists' job in Washington.

Debates

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [3] Solid DNovember 6, 2006
Sabato's Crystal Ball [4] Safe DNovember 6, 2006
Rothenberg Political Report [5] Safe DNovember 6, 2006
Real Clear Politics [6] Safe DNovember 6, 2006

Polling

SourceDateJeff
Bingaman (D)		Allen
McCulloch (R)
Zogby [7] March 22, 200653%29%
Rasmussen [8] June 30, 200659%33%
Albuquerque Journal/Research & Polling [9] August 31, 200662%23%
Rasmussen [10] September 7, 200661%26%
Albuquerque Journal/Research & Polling [9] October 3, 200665%19%

Results

United States Senate election in New Mexico, 2006 [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Jeff Bingaman (incumbent) 394,217 70.60% +8.89%
Republican Allen McCulloch 163,76129.33%−8.92%
Write-in 3640.06%
Majority 230,42641.27%+17.83%
Turnout 558,342
Democratic hold Swing

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Results summary" (PDF). www.sos.state.nm.us. 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 14, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  2. ↑ SurveyUSA News Poll #5984
  3. ↑ "2006 Senate Race Ratings for November 6, 2006" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 5, 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Election Eve 2006: THE FINAL PREDICTIONS". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  5. ↑ "2006 Senate Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Election 2006". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  7. ↑ Zogby
  8. ↑ Rasmussen
  9. 1 2 "Albuquerque Journal/Research & Polling". Archived from the original on August 24, 2007. Retrieved October 5, 2006.
  10. ↑ Rasmussen
  11. ↑ https://electionstats.sos.nm.gov/contest/15481 [ bare URL ]

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