The race for ABQ mayor is crowded and the math muddled. There are nine candidates seeking the office including Mayor Tim Keller and the latest addition, former US Attorney Alex Uballez who officially entered the race over the weekend after we reported on his impending candidacy April 2.

Some of the hopefuls will not make the ballot or will make the ballot but not have enough money to get a message out. 

A December run-off election featuring the two top candidates from the initial November election now seems highly probable. 

Uballez came with a slick video to announce his entry and will have the backing of progressives dissatisfied with fellow Democrat Keller. 

While Uballez asserts he "has been fighting" for ABQ for 15 years he is essentially a blank slate to voters, with some recognition for his prosecution of the APD DWI scandal. 

His presumed ability to qualify for $756,000 in public financing and get additional financial support from national progressives should put Uballez in the top tier of candidates and cause Keller headaches. 

But Keller retains the support of stalwart Dems like former state Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino and former Lt. Governor Denish, as well as elected progressives on the City Council and Bernalillo County Commission including Councilor Nichole Rogers of District 6, the city's most progressive district. 

He has also added legendary civil rights leader Dolores Huerta to his list of endorsers as he works to stop bleeding of progressive support to Uballez.

CARE AND LOVE

Uballez

Uballez is interesting because at the start he has mainly progressives backing him who are often seen as weak on crime. He does have law enforcement credentials that could help him from getting tagged with that label but don't look for him to be the "tough on crime" candidate. Positioning himself as a progressive prosecutor, he came with this:

I know public safety is more than locking people up. That’s why I started New Mexico’s first federal reentry court to shut the revolving door and provide a pathway for people to return to our community. 

The NM GOP is already attacking Uballez as being soft on violent criminals, citing this quote: 

(We are) stepping out of our traditional roles in the courtroom, stepping out of our traditional roles of kicking in doors and putting on handcuffs, and approaching them with care and with love.

 SUMMING IT UP

While conservatives rejoice over the Keller-Uballez division, their own backyard is equally messy. Former GOP Sheriff Darren White, Dem City Councilor Louie Sanchez and former Dem Sandoval Deputy  County Manager Mayling Armijo are all pursuing the tough on crime vote.

The election is ultimately a referendum on Keller. Is the city ripe for a groundswell that would end his long run? No candidate in the field yet has the obvious stature to take him out. Will one of them acquire that stature during the long campaign ahead? And what of crime and homelessness? Is the electorate primed to pin the blame on Keller or see it through a different lens? Stay tuned. . . 

FIRST ADS

Th outside committee supporting Mayling Armijo for mayor--Saferabq.com--has raised $120,000 in its first weeks and comes with the first ads of the race--billboards touting Armijo as the candidate who can take on crime and homelessness. The committee spent $32,000.

Donations include $40,000 from Armijo's sister, Mary Chauling Armijo; $40,000 from Katrina Tracy, operations manager of Four Winds Mechanical and $40,000 from the Four Winds Mechanical company whose president is apparently another Armijo relative, Lynn Armijo.

Four Winds Mechanical specializes in heating, air conditioning, electrical and building automation systems and is based in ABQ.

In her official campaign account, Armijo raised $19,606 in the first reporting period. Mary Chauling Armijo donated $6,000; Katrina Tracy gave $6,000 and Four Winds Mechanical came with $6,000.

That is quite an overlap between the PAC supporting Armijo (or Measure Finance Committee as it is officially titled) and her individual campaign account. City regulations prohibit the two entities from coordinating their expenditures on behalf of Armijo. 

Former Republican Bernalillo County Commissioner Lonny Talbert gave $50 to Armijo's personal campaign account.

Armijo's boss at Sandoval County was Manager Wayne Johnson, a longtime Republican and former BernCo Commissioner who ran for ABQ mayor in 2017. 

Other PACS supporting mayoral candidates did not report any fund-raising.

In their city accounts former GOP Sheriff Darren White reported $29,000 in donations including in-kind contributions; Keller reported $15,621 and Councilor Louie Sanchez reported $11,750 including a personal loan of $10,000.

All campaign filings by the mayoral and city council candidates as well as the outside PACS are here.

This is the Home of New Mexico Politics.