Rod Adair drops Senate re-election bid

SANTA FE (AP) - Republican Sen. Rod Adair of Roswell says he is not seeking re-election and is withdrawing as a candidate in the June primary election.

Adair's announcement on Tuesday leaves Sen. William Burt of Alamogordo with no opposition in the GOP primary, but he will face Democrat Stephanie Dubois of Tularosa in the November general election.

Adair and Burt ended up in the same southern New Mexico district after the boundaries of Senate districts were realigned to adjust for population growth during the past decade.

Adair took office in 1997. Burt was appointed last year to fill a Senate vacancy.

Adair said can he can focus on helping elect Republicans to the Legislature by retiring from the Senate. Adair runs a demographic research business and has served as a campaign consultant.