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NEW ON MIDDAY-- SENATOR STEVE PEARCE WILL OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE HIS RUN FOR THE U-S SENATE ONE WEEK FROM TODAY. THE REPUBLICAN WILL MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN HIS HOMETOWN OF HOBBS. IN A NEWS RELEASE, PEARCE SAYS HIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE ABOUT IDEAS AND THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY. HE SAYS HE PLANS TO KICK OFF HIS CAMPAIGN BY VISITING AS MANY CITIES AS POSSIBLE IN THE FIRST FEW DAYS. PEARCE'S RUN FOR THE SENATE WILL PIT HIM AGAINST REPRESENTATIVE HEATHER WILSON. EARLIER THIS MONTH, OUR EXCLUSIVE SURVEY U-S-A POLL SHOWED PEARCE BEATING WILSON... AND LEADING DEMOCRAT, MAYOR MARTIN CHAVEZ, BY 21 POINTS. THE ALBUQUERQUE MAYOR IS THE ONLY BIG DEMOCRATIC NAME IN THE RACE, BUT THAT COULD CHANGE IF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JUMPS IN. CHAVEZ HAS WASTED NO TIME IN GETTING CAMPAIGN DONATIONS. JUST TWO WEEKS INTO HIS CAMPAIGN, HE HAS ALREADY NAILED DOWN MORE THAN HALF-A-MILLION DOLLARS IN PLEDGES ... I said I'd get up earlier - work harder - work longer - go to bed later than anybody else running and i'm gonna keep that commitment - I'm really pleased we're getting so much support from around the state - unfortunately you need a lot of money to run these races and we know this is gonna be a national race.' LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DIANE DENISH SAYS SHE STILL HASN'T MADE UP HER MIND ABOUT WHETHER SHE'LL RUN FOR THE SENATE ... BUT THAT SHE EXPECTS IT TO BE A VERY COMPETITIVE AND