Will we get our first official candidate for the Democratic race for the 2020 US Senate nomination today?

Attorney General Hector Balderas will make his move when he appears at 9:30 a.m on ABQ rock radio 102.5 FM and at the same time releases a video on his social media.

If he is having second thoughts about Senate, why not take a look at the northern US House seat that Rep. Ben Ray Lujan would give up if he ran for the Senate? That's nothing to sneeze at.

Check back with us at midday for the latest and a bit of analysis. Meanwhile, you don't have to have official candidates to have action on the campaign trail. . .

No sooner had Balderas made known his announcement plans than the national PAC Latino Victory Fund, which recruits Hispanic candidates, appeared to move to offset any Balderas Big Mo and boosted Rep. Ben Ray Lujan with a "Run, Ben Ray, Run!” digital campaign. And they made sure to try to push Balderas to the right:

Luján has been a tireless advocate and progressive champion for the people of New Mexico and the Latino community across the country, His unparalleled experience and bold leadership style will serve New Mexico well in the United States Senate,

Progressive being the key word which does not immediately bring to mind Hector Balderas of Wagon Mound. But he'll have plenty of time to remake his image to appeal to that more liberal wing of his party.

Fans of Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver were on pins and needles hoping that Balderas does pull the trigger. That would give the Dems two well-known Hispanic males vying for the nomination and an opening, they say, for a woman like Toulouse Oliver.

It makes sense. And it would make even more sense if she can manage to raise $3 million. That's the challenge she has to mull over before she makes the leap.

IS PLAME GAME?

Valerie Plame

Maggie might not be the only Anglo liberal woman with a big name who sees an opening if Hector and Ben Ray are both competing. Santa Fe's Valerie Plame tells me she is mulling over a Senate bid:

I am considering stepping up. It is daunting, but enticing as well thinking of how to serve my adopted state of New Mexico.

Plame gained national attention when her cover as a covert operations officer for the CIA was blown by a conservative columnist in 2003. She said it was payback from the Bush White House for her then husband, Ambassador Joseph Wilson, questioning the Iraq war. It became the scandal du jour.

Since then Plame, 55, has become a successful author and public speaker and part of the Santa Fe social whirl.

Could she raise funding from her national connections? And would she appeal to the numerous Deb Haaland/Lujan Grisham/Toulouse Oliver progressive women in big BernCo?

At the least Plame's early play gives those women pause before they hop aboard the Maggie train. There may be another one to catch before this game is over.

RUN JUDY RUN?

The R's continue to float possible Senate names. An intriguing one is NM Supreme Court Chief Justice Judy Nakamura who is popular in vote heavy Bernalillo County.

If this were the New Mexico of ten years ago, we would say "look out." But it's rough sledding for any R in this era, even for an accomplished and moderate personality like Nakamura.

But having her on the ballot would certainly consolidate the R vote and perhaps help with some of the closer down-ballot races. But why disrupt your quiet, contemplative judicial life to hear about all the bad things you did while in the third grade? Surprise us, Judy. Or keep searching, Republicans.

And here's one that must be driving NM GOP Chairman Steve Pearce up the walls. Former Roswell State Senator Rod Adair is said by GOP operatives to be making calls to test the waters for a run for the GOP Senate nomination. Adair, a GOP firebrand and ally of former Gov. Martinez, has long been a nemesis for Pearce who represents the other wing of the GOP.

Better get busy and get someone to run, Steve, or you might have to hold Rod's hand up in the air on primary election night.

SITEL SAYONARA

The ABQ economy continues to show fragility. And this one is a big hit:

Sitel is closing its call center in Albuquerque this year. Employees were notified about the closure on Wednesday. The company said it has more than 700 full-time employees in Albuquerque.

The company laid off 1,000 in Colorado Springs last year as it shifts its operations overseas and to cheaper labor.

Last November defense contractor Honeywell announced it would shut its ABQ plant and lay off hundreds. The company is said to employ up to 500 in mostly high-paying jobs. Those layoffs are being sprinkled over this year and now join the 700 being lost at Sitel.

That erases the 900 call center jobs that are scheduled to come online over the next three to five years in downtown ABQ. And that’s what you call one step forward and two steps back.