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Tuesday, October 21, 2025Keller Preps For Round Two; Predicts There Will Be An ABQ Mayor Run-Off; Plus: Mayor's Second TV Ad Continues Gaslighting Over Media Coverage, And: Lewis Vs. Allen On ABQ's Westside Mayor Tim Keller was asked in a radio interview whether he believed there would be a run-off election which occurs if none of the six candidates achieve 50 percent of the vote. He responded without elaboration: "Yes, I do." The full interview is here. Keller's prediction is shared by the great majority of observers who site the number of candidates and Keller's 42 percent approval rating. The most likely opponent for Keller in a run-off appears to be Republican and former BernCo Sheriff Darren White. But Republicans who have had a falling out with him fear he is already looking like dead money in a run-off with Democrat Keller in a Democratic city. They are conjuring memories of the 62-38 whopping that Keller gave Republican Dan Lewis in the 2017 mayoral run-off. Keller made his comments in an interview with Eddy Aragon of KIVA radio who ran against Keller in a three way race in 2021 and ever since has bashed him on the airwaves. But Aragon, 50, points out the pair did go to St. Pius High at the same time and are friendly. Keller sat for an amiable half-hour interview with Aragon at his 11th floor City Hall office. Keller was also asked who he would vote for in the New York mayoral election, also set for Nov. 4, if he was a resident there. He said he would vote for Dem Socialist Zohran Mamdani: His number one idea is to create an ABQ Community Safety Department. That is high praise from a candidate from New York. Keller also said that if re-elected he would double the number of speed cameras in the city, warning: "You'll be annoyed." That's a safe prediction. SAME AS FIRST  Again he is pictured with a young, lively woman posing as a cheery news reporter who with Keller guides viewers though a "pop quiz" showcasing neighborhoods and projects the Mayor says have improved the city. As in his first ad when he argued, "we're getting a lot more done than the news media is telling you about," he continues his gaslighting at the end of this ad. The transcript: Narrator: Another pop quiz. True or false? Tim Keller led the redevelopment of 7th and Central. Winrock Mall, the Railards, the Bio Park, Sawmill, facilities at the Balloon Park, and South San Jose Boxing Gym. He also cleaned up Wells Park, Westgate Park, and Phil Chacon Park. We have more police on the street and more safe places to go. Keller: A lot more than the media is telling you about. Every mayor blames the media for not focusing on the "good news" but Keller has taken it to a new level by including the accusation in his paid media. He is clearly mistaken as a simple Google search for every project he mentions will bring up numerous news stories about the projects mentioned in the ads. (For example, here are results of a search for news stories on "Winrock redevelopment." JOURNO 101 The focus of news coverage has naturally been on homelessness and crime which are the major problems facing the city and of much more concern to voters than planting trees at a city park. Both deserve coverage and both get it. The emphasis is indeed on the undeniable spread of homelessness and crime in ABQ this past decade. That's because those problems have caused a deterioration in the quality of life in the state's largest city. There's no conspiracy to deprive the Mayor of glory. Now, Keller's supporters can argue and they do that he has done a good job--the best he can--addressing those issues and can add that those problems are somewhat national in scope. What they can't argue is that news organizations did not cover what makes him look best. Keller doesn't like his coverage and neither did his predecessors. But we saw that Mayor Keller attended the King's Day protests over Trump's dictates this weekend. He apparently gets the media's role, but continues to find it politically useful to blame shame. In other words the gas light is lit for Campaign '25. LEWIS VS. ALLEN
He faces Athena Allen, a progressive Democrat, national security expert and wife of Dem BernCo Sheriff John Allen. Opines a Dem consultant:
Lewis has been an on again off again councilor for the district and is seeking his fourth term. His AFSCME union endorsement is significant for a Republican although Allen has received support from several other unions and financial backing from a PAC --ABQ for All--that is made up of construction and electrical workers. Lewis won the seat in 2021 defeating conservative Democratic incumbent Cynthia Borrego. That flipped the district from Democratic to Republican control, contributing to a narrower Dem Council majority with 5 Dems to 4 Republicans. That partisan divide is expected to remain after the election but anti-Keller conservative Democrat Louis Sanchez will be replaced by a more neutral Dem councilor. Sanchez often joined often joined with Republicans to give them a working Council majority Where Lewis stands on the issues here and more on Allen's positions here. We had a thousand word limit on today's blog and brought it in at 999. Yet another reason why. . . This is the Home of New Mexico Politics. |
  
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