SANTA FE — One year ago, in June 2009, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish was sitting in the catbird seat. She had announced for governor more than two years earlier and had already raised more than $2 million.
A poll had just been published by Harstad Strategic Research of Boulder, Colo., showing Denish leading both Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson by identical 57-35 margins.
Pearce and Wilson were both well known to voters statewide, better known than Denish, in fact. Both had given up their U.S. House seats to seek the Senate seat of the retiring Pete Domenici.