Democratic Congressman Tom Udall is maintaining his huge lead over Republican Steve Pearce in New Mexico’s U.S. Senate race. The Democrat now leads 59% to 34%. When “leaners” are included, Udall is on top 61% to 35%.

This marks the fourth straight time Udall has topped his rival by double-digits. Last month, the Democrat was ahead 58% to 30%. In May, he led 53% to 37%.

Udall and Pearce are seeking to replace retiring Republican Senator Pete Domenici, a Republican who has been in the Senate since 1973. Both candidates chose to leave the U.S. House of Representatives to compete for the open seat.

This month, Udall has a 59% to 27% advantage among voters not affiliated with either major political party, up from a 19-percentage-point lead last month. He is also backed by 18% of Republican voters, which is down from the 26% support he enjoyed last month.

Among men, Udall leads 54% to 42%. His lead among men has dropped 10 points since the last survey. However, his lead among women has jumped four percentage points to a 64% to 26% edge.

Rasmussen Markets data now shows that Udall is currently given a 80.0% chance of winning the New Mexico Senate race. Numbers in this paragraph are from a prediction market, not a poll. Using a trading format where traders "buy and sell" candidates, issues, and news features, the Rasmussen Markets harness competitive passions to provide a reliable leading indicator of upcoming events. We invite you to participate in the Rasmussen Markets. It costs nothing to join and add your voice to the collective wisdom of the market.

Favorability ratings for both candidates have changed little over the past month. The Democrat is viewed favorably by 66% and unfavorably by 28%. Pearce’s numbers are 46% favorable, 48% unfavorable.

New Mexico is one of several states where Democrats hope to pick up Senate seats in 2008. Polls show that at least seven other Republican Senate seats could be in play during Election 2008 including Oregon, New Hampshire, Colorado, Mississippi, Alaska, Minnesota, Kentucky, and Virginia.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson earns good or excellent reviews from 51% of voters, up from 47% last month. Twenty-one percent (21%) of voters say he is doing a poor job as governor, down from 24% in June.

In New Mexico’s presidential race, Barack Obama has a five-point lead over John McCain.