Arnold-Jones Prepares to Announce 2010 Exploratory Committee for Governor

After giving former U.S. Representative Heather Wilson plenty of time to decide on a 2010 gubernatorial bid, Republican State Representative Janice Arnold-Jones' patience has apparently run out. Our sources tell us she's preparing paperwork for the Secretary of State's office, and plans to announce her own exploratory committee for governor in 2010 some time next week.

Arnold-Jones and Wilson reportedly met for lunch at the Cooperage, in Albuquerque on Thursday, to discuss their political plans, but after Wilson told Arnold-Jones she still hadn't made a final decision, the four-term representative decided to move forward next week.

The decision comes on the same day the Democratic Governor's Association released a poll which shows Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish with a 22 point lead over possible republican candidates Wilson and former U.S. Senate Candidate Steve Pearce.

Arnold-Jones, who has represented Albuquerque's North East heights in House District 24 would have to give up her seat if she won her party's nomination.

Arnold-Jones could be making the move now because two other republicans are already touring the state collecting commitments and money. Former Party Chairman Allen Weh announced his exploratory committee on May 5th, and Greg Zanetti has all but announced his candidacy.

She has a long legislative record, and earlier this year was the first legislator to webcast from the roundhouse during a Taxation and Revenue Committee meeting.

Arnold-Jones, who graduated from Albuquerque High School in 1970, attended a GOPAC meeting in Washington, D.C. last week and met with key Republican leaders to determine what level of support she will have at the RNC.

Political blogger Heath Haussamen hosted a non-scientific poll on his blog the last week of May. He asked readers to vote on who they would support in a Republican primary race for Governor. The results were split, but Arnold-Jones came in third with 12 percent of the votes.

Of 438 voters, 123, or 28 percent, said the GOP should nominate Allen Weh, while 120, or 27 percent, said the party should pick Heather Wilson. Some 54 voters, or 12 percent, picked Janice Arnold-Jones, while 46, or 11 percent, picked Steve Pearce. Another 45, or 10 percent, picked Greg Zanetti, while 42, or 10 percent, said the GOP should nominate “someone else,” and eight, or 2 percent, said they don’t know.

Arnold-Jones was criticized earlier this week by Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White, who lost his 1st congressional bid to Democrat Martin Heinrich last fall, for voting to repeal the death penalty.

Photo credit: MG Bralley