Sen. Domenici won't seek re-election: Senate aide

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sen. Pete Domenici, a long-serving New Mexico Republican, plans to announce on Thursday he will not seek re-election next year, a Senate aide said on Wednesday, further complicating his party's efforts to recapture the Senate.

Domenici, 75, who is nearing the end of his sixth six-year term in the Senate, "won't be seeking re-election," said the aide, who asked not to be identified.

The aide said Domenici would detail his reasons in Albuquerque on Thursday for his retirement from the Senate after next year. But she said they did not relate to recent inquiries into whether the senator may have pressured a federal prosecutor to bring indictments in an investigation involving New Mexico Democrats.

Domenici has denied applying such pressure. The Senate Ethics Committee has indicated it is looking into the matter.

Domenici would be the fourth Republican senator to announce his retirement next year. The others are John Warner of Virginia, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Wayne Allard of Colorado.

New Mexico's other U.S. senator is Democrat Jeff Bingaman. Its governor, Bill Richardson, also a Democrat, is running for president. One of its three House members is also a Democrat.

Republicans lost control of the Senate and U.S. House of Representatives in last November's elections.

Republican Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho has announced he intended to leave the Senate after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct in a sex-sting operation.

More recently, Craig put off his resignation, pending an attempt to withdraw the guilty plea.

During his Senate career, Domenici at one time served as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and has been active on energy legislation.