Pearce Pulls in $500,000-Plus With Assist From NRCC

Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, and the National Republican Congressional Committee are going all in to help former Rep. Steve Pearce take back New Mexico’s 2nd District.

The NRCC, which is bullish about Pearce’s prospects of unseating freshman Democrat Harry Teague, gave Pearce $5,000 in the second quarter and Sessions chipped in another $5,000 from his political action committee and $2,000 from his personal campaign committee, helping push the Republican past $500,000 for the period.

Pearce raised $452,000 from individuals and another $55,000 from PACs and party committees to reach that huge total. Other House Republicans, including Minority Leader John A. Boehner of Ohio, Lamar Smith of Texas, Spencer Bachus of Alabama, John Kline of Minnesota and John L. Mica of Florida, also chipped in to Pearce’s campaign.

Pearce represented the district for three terms before vacating his post to run for Senate in 2008. He won a contested primary but ultimately lost to Democrat Tom Udall.

His decision to try and reclaim his seat in the GOP-leaning district makes it a top prospect for the party as it tries to regain seats in 2010.

Teague has yet to report his third-quarter fundraising totals.
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