The Eye

In her letter to supporters, Arnold-Jones wrote that if elected governor, she will work to make New Mexico a leader in energy, agriculture and education, among other areas. She also warned supporters of a "culture of corruption," a common theme among Republicans in a state where several prominent Democrats have been tarnished by corruption scandals.

Arnold-Jones was elected to New Mexico's House of Representatives in 2002, and has since been dubbed "Lady Sunlight" by local media for her successful campaign to get the state House to broadcast its meetings to the public.

Arnold-Jones was preceded into the race by Susana Martinez, the district attorney in New Mexico's Doña Ana County, who announced her candidacy on July 17.

Former state Republican Party Chairman Allen Weh and Doug Turner, CEO of an Albuquerque-based public relations firm, also have stated a clear interest in the possibility of entering the race.

The biggest name among potential Republican candidates, though, is Heather A. Wilson, who represented the Albuquerque-based 1st Congressional District from 1998 through 2008. Wilson, who left her House seat open in 2008 to pursue a Senate primary bid that narrowly failed, hasn't ruled out a run for governor, but she has not made any official moves toward jumping in.

Although the bigger crowd so far is on the Republican side, the early front-runner to succeed Richardson is a Democrat: two-term Lt. Gov. Diane Denish. She may draw primary opposition from state Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, who announced the formation of a exploratory campaign committee on the social networking site Facebook.