The endorsement of ABQ Mayor Tim Keller's re-election by US Rep. Melanie Stansbury of ABQ would normally be a yawner but Keller foe Alex Uballez just picked up the endorsement of OLÉ, a leading progressive group that could draw support from Keller's political base. 

Now comes Stansbury, arguably the central figure among metro area progressives, with a ringing endorsement of Keller who is seeking a third term in November:

Mayor Keller has a clear plan for defending Albuquerque from an administration that is freezing funding, deploying troops to American cities, and creating chaos and disruptions to our daily lives. Mayor Keller has provided strong and steady leadership through some of the most tumultuous moments of the last several years, and is prepared to defend Albuquerque and our people from the uncertainties we will face in the coming years.

Stansbury also praised Keller's efforts on housing and public safety but she focused on the national impact of the mayoral race which is at the top of the progressive agenda. That's what Keller needs--plenty of chatter about the White House and less about crime and homelessness.

What Uballez needs is more disagreement among progressives over which candidate is best equipped to push back against Trump. But the OLÉ endorsement of Uballez was not as detailed as that of Stansbury's:

OLÉ is proud to endorse Alex Uballez for Mayor of Albuquerque! Alex is committed to fighting for hard-working Burque families. Together, we can build a city that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.

KELLER CASH

It's Keller's dominant financial position that has been the killer thus far of any movement to take him down. In addition to the $750,000 in public financing he qualified for--the only one of the seven mayoral contenders to do so--the Ascend ABQ PAC is out on the town raising more money for Keller. 

As of mid-August they have pulled in $155,000 and had cash on hand of $120,000. 

Where is the money coming from? The usual suspects--those with significant stakes in city business and the outcome of the election.

For example, Robles, Rael & Anaya, a go to law firm for many local government entities, is a major Ascend donor with partners of the firm coming with $30,000 in donations. The firm for years has contracted with the city legal department to provide outside legal services. 

Two brothers of the Garcia family, owners of car dealerships as well as major downtown ABQ developers, gave $5,000 each. 

Fresquez Concessions, which holds numerous concessions at the ABQ Sunport gave $15,000.

Big labor came with the big money. The New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council donated $20,000. The United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America also donated $20,000 to the Ascend PAC. 

The Ascend PAC is separate from Keller's public finance account. His campaign is not allowed to coordinate activity with the PAC.  

THE BIGGEST PROBLEM?

We get this reader reaction on MLG's announcement that she will expand the state's free childcare program to include all families even the most affluent:

Last Friday the Governor announced the departure of Teresa, Casados, Secretary of CYFD. On Saturday two more babies died. So Monday needing a diversion Governor promotes an idea she has been holding for the right moment--expand free childcare. Context: New Mexico previously expanded free childcare to families earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level ($124,000 annual income). This new announcement extends the benefit to every family statewide, so now all families with income greater than $124,000 per year are eligible.

So seemingly the biggest problem we have in our state is families making $124,000 or more a year have to pay for their own childcare. I’ve never seen a state so excited to use tax dollars to give free childcare to families with income greater than $124,000.  I hope we use that same richness to focus next on our most vulnerable children--those in CYFD custody who are victims of severe child abuse and/or neglect and babies born drug addicted so we can keep them safe and stop babies and youth from dying. 

NOT A PUEBLO

In the first posting of the Tuesday blog reporting on the endorsement of Dem Guv candidate Sam Bregman by the Jicarilla Apache Nation, we erroneously referenced the nation as a pueblo. Bregman's endorsements from Native American communities include Sandia Pueblo--one of 19 in the state-- and the Jicarilla Apache Nation, not "two pueblos" as we first stated. 

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