Why did Tom Udall do so well this year?

[Nichlemn]

Tom Udall won in NM by a 56-44 margin, even as Susana Martinez easily won re-election, the NM House went Republican and lots of other once-strong Democrats lost or performed surprisingly weakly (like his cousin Mark in CO, or Warner in VA). Was it due to a weak opponent? If Heather Wilson had run this year instead, would she have had a strong shot at winning?

[moderatevoter]

Weak opponent, who didn't coordinate very much with Martinez's campaign. Not much (if any) Republican investment in the state. The state, in general, is a tougher climb for Republicans.

Unlike Mark Warner, Udall's campaign seemed to have substance and was proactive.

I think Wilson would have made it much closer. Don't think she wins though.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Incumbent progressives tended to do OK. Tom Udall, Merkley, and Franken all picked up Senate seats for the Democrats in 2008 and won by a solid margin this year. And unlike Tom Udall, Merkley and Franken only narrowly won in 2008.

The 2008 Democratic performance in NM was pretty awesome. All 3 representatives run for Senate. The only one who was a Democrat won, and then Democrats won all 3 open House seats.

[Türkisblau]

To condense the reason into a nice 1:00 clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTG3NacV9co

Allen Weh ran a campaign that just wasn't about New Mexico which is what people around here care about. He ran an attack-based campaign, which usually plays better elsewhere; we want to know how you're going to keep funding in New Mexico (basically, what are you going to do for us?). Udall ran a positive campaign playing up his accomplishments for the state, which was really all he needed to do to get reelected (just look at this great ad! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19K72fdxWO8).

Maybe things would have gone differently if Weh was not a horrible campaigner but I think the crossover appeal and the fact that NM likes reelecting incumbents is what caused large margins for Martinez and Udall. Don't make me get into just how awful Gary King is.

[smoltchanov]

Incumbent progressives tended to do OK. Tom Udall, Merkley, and Franken all picked up Senate seats for the Democrats in 2008 and won by a solid margin this year. And unlike Tom Udall, Merkley and Franken only narrowly won in 2008.

The 2008 Democratic performance in NM was pretty awesome. All 3 representatives run for Senate. The only one who was a Democrat won, and then Democrats won all 3 open House seats.

"Incumbent progressives" tend to run in relatively progressive or (at least) - strongly moderate states, so this is nothing to brag about.. When i will see "progressive" winning something substantial in non-black majority district in Alabama - i will change my "credo". But - not sooner...

[King]

Udall used his family political machine. Martinez didn't campaign for Weh.

[Maxwell]

Udall used his family political machine. Martinez didn't campaign for Weh.

yep.

[Vega]

Udall used his family political machine. Martinez didn't campaign for Weh.

yep.