From April 17 to June 19, 2021, publicly financed candidates for Mayor must gather both 3,000 signatures from registered voters within the City and 3,779 qualifying donations of $5.00 to secure $661,309.25 in public financing.
EDITORS NOTE: Privately financed candidates for Mayor must gather more than 3000 nominating petition signatures from registered voters within the City from June 8 – August 10, 2021.
PROCESSED PETITION SIGNATURES:
As of May 25, following are the updated City Clerk numbers for Processed Petition Signatures starting with the candidate with the most and ending with the least collected:
MAYOR TIM KELLER
Required Petition Signatures: 3,000
Verified Petition Signatures: 2,832 (Before: 2,729)
Rejected Petition Signatures: 385
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: 168
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 94% (Before: 91%)
SHERIFF MANNY GONZALES
Required Petition Signatures: 3,000
Verified Petition Signatures: 1,678 (Before: 1,639)
Rejected Petition Signatures: 203 (No change)
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: 1,322
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 56% (Before: 55%)
PATRICK BEN SAIS
Required Petition Signatures: 3,000
Verified Petition Signatures: 479 (Before: 453)
Rejected Petition Signatures: 420 (Rejected: 391)
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: 2,547
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 16% (Before 15%)
NICHOLAS BEVINS
Nicholas Bevins in a recorded message last week on his Facebook page said he was withdrawing from the race because the pandemic and the special election congressional race made it too difficult to collect nominating signatures and he did not see a path to collecting the required 3,000 petition signatures to make the November ballot by the June 19 deadline. You can review the official withdrawal here on his FACEBOOK page:
https://www.facebook.com/Nicholas.D.Bevins
PROCESSED $5.00 QUALIFYING CONTRIBUTIONS
As of May 24,with more $5.00 qualifying donations, following are the updated City Clerk numbers for Processed $5.00 Qualifying Contributions starting with the candidate with the most collected and ending with the least collected:
MAYOR TIM KELLER
Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 3,779
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 2,665 (Before: 2,527)
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 192 (Before 185)
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: 1,114 (Before 1,252)
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 71 %
SHERIFF MANNY GONZALES
Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 3,779
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 1,792 (Before: 1,724)
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 93
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: 1,978 (Before: 2,055)
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 47%
PATRICK BEN SAIS
Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 3,779
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 3
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 1
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: 3,776
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 0%
MAYOR TIM KELLER
Thus far, and based on the 26 remaining days to collect signatures and $5.00 qualifying donations, Mayor Tim Keller is in the most comfortable position to collect both nominating petition signatures and $5.00 qualifying donations. The Keller campaign has collected 94% of the necessary nominating petition signatures and 71% of the $5.00 qualifying donations with 1,114 remaining donations to be collected. Collecting the remaining 1,114 donations is doable, but still difficult, and will require collecting an average of 43 donations a day for the next 26 days.
SHERIFF MANNY GONZALES:
Based on the 26 days remaining, it appears that Sheriff Manny Gonzales is having difficulty in collecting both the nominating petition signatures as well as the $5.00 qualifying donations. Gonzales has collected 56% of the required 3,000 signatures and needs to collect another 1,322 more, which is doable over the remaining 26 day remaining to collect.
However, Gonzales is struggling to collect the verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions and has collected 1,792 or 47% and needs to collect another 1,978 donations or at least 76 donations a day for the next 26 days. If Gonzales does not qualify for public finance, he could declare he will seek private financing and stay in the race but it will be a major setback to his campaign. Gonzales will no doubt ramp up private donation efforts but donors will be reluctant to contribute to both him and a measured finance committee. Another impact of failure to qualify for public finance will be to dry up private contributions to the two measured finance committees set up to promote him.
Sources are also saying that Republican political operative and consultant Jay McClesky, know for his slash and burn tactics, is managing the Gonzales campaign and for that reason may be trying to turn things around for the Sheriff by tapping into Republican support for Gonzales. McClesky managed both former Republican Mayor Berry’s campaigns for Mayor as well as both campaigns for Republican Governor “She Whose Shall Not Be Named”.
PATRICK BEN SAIS
Based on the numbers for PATRICK BEN SAIS, it is not at all likely he will even make the ballot.
MEASURED FINANCE COMMITTEES
As of May 25, there are 4 measured finance committees with the following donors :
1. RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR A BETTER ALBUQUERQUE: $550 CASH BALANCE FROM 2 DONORS
STATED PURPOSE: “SUPPORT ALBUQUERQUE MAYORAL CANDIDATE WHO WILL IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR IT’S CITIZENS AS WELL AS OPPOSE CANDIDATES THAT ARE DETRIMENTAL TO THE FUTURE GROWTH AND SAFETY OF ALBUQUERQUE”
The chairperson of the “Retired Law Enforcement for a Better Albuquerque is Jason Katz and the Treasurer is listed as Sistine Jaramillo. Upon information and belief, Jason Katz is a former and retired Chief Deputy of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and is a longtime supporter and has worked for Gonzales. No background information could be located on Sistine Jaramillo.
DONORS
On April 12, Jason Katz donated $300
On May 3, Michael L. Chavez, listed as retired donated $250.
https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/PublicSite/Reports/FetchReportToPDF.aspx
2. SAVE OUR CITY: $16,495 CASH BALANCE FROM 2 DONORs
https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/PublicSite/SearchPages/OrganizationDetail.aspx?OrganizationID=7109
STATED PURPOSE: TO ADDRESS THE SERIOUS CRIME AND LEADERSHIP PROBLEM IN ALBUQUERQUE
The Chairperson of “Save Our City” is Sam Vigil and the Treasurer is Republican State Representative Bill Rehm. Sam Vigil is the husband Jacquiline Vigil who was gun down in her car backing out of the family home driveway in the early morning hours as she was leaving for the gym. Republican New Mexico State Representative Bill Rehm, District 31, Bernalillo County, has been a State Representative since 2006. Rehm retired in 2000 from BCSO Sheriff’s office as Captain. Rehm is considered a reliable conservative supporter of law enforcement efforts in the New Mexico Legislature
https://www.abqjournal.com/2381547/vigil-forms-political-action-committee-to-defeat-keller.html
DONORS:
On April 14, ADMIRAL BEVERAGE CORPORATION, BUSINESS/GROUP INFO: GREG BROWN BEVERAGE DISTRIBUTION contributed $15,000.00
On April 15 ADAM CHAVEZ, EMPLOYER: Mining/Energy MUTUAL DRILLING COMPANY ASSOCIATED CANDIDATES contributed $1,500.00
https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/PublicSite/Reports/FetchReportToPDF.aspx
3. BUILD BACK ‘BURQUE: $0.00 CASH BALANCE REPORTED AND NO DONORS LISTED
https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/PublicSite/Reports/FetchReportToPDF.aspx
As of April 26, one measured finance committees has been formed to support Mayor Tim Keller’s bid for a second 4 year term . The Measured finance committee is identified as “ BUILD BACK ‘BURQUE”.
STATED PURPOSE: “Support mayor Tim Keller’s re-election to a second term for the city of Albuquerque”
The Chairperson for “Build Back ‘Burque” is Michelle Mayorga. According to the American Association of Political Consultants “Michelle Mayorga has spent nearly 2 decades working on campaigns, progressive issues, and in local and national administrations. She previously served as Western Field Director at the AFL-CIO, Western Political Director at the DCCC, and Coordinated Director for the Democratic Party of New Mexico in 2012.”
https://theaapc.org/awards/40-under-40/class-of-2016/michelle-mayorga/
The Treasurer for “Build Back ‘Burque” is Robert Lara. Mr. Lara is a licensed New Mexico attorney and is the former State Treasurer of the Democratic Party of New Mexico.
https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/PublicSite/SearchPages/OrganizationDetail.aspx?OrganizationID=7112
4. ABQ FIREPAC:NO CASH BALANCE AND NO FINANCE STATEMENTS FILED
On May 12, a fourth measured finance committee named ABQ FIREPAC when it filed its registration with the city clerk. The stated purpose is to “ SUPPORT CANDIDATES WHO SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY & FIRE FIGHTER ISSUES”. What this measured finance committee is the local firefighter’s union. Every election year, the local firefighters get very involved with municipal elections with endorsements and contributing to campaign efforts. The fire fighters union not only provides campaign materials such as sign, but also provide volunteers for phone banking and other activities. Four years ago, ABQFIREPAC reported that it raised and spent $67,000 on the Mayor’s and City Council races.
https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/PublicSite/SearchPages/OrganizationDetail.aspx?OrganizationID=7121
Search web page with name of measured finance committee in the below link:
https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/PublicSite/SearchPages/CommitteeSearch.aspx
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
The two measured fiancé committees set up to promote Sheriff Gonzales have raised a paltry $17,050 combined with one single donation of $15,000. The measured finance committee needs 75 more $15,000 donors and raise about $1,125,000 before they can really help Gonzales. It is not at all likely they will be able to raise the amount of public financing of $661,309.25 that is available. It is the $661,309.25 in public finance that would make Sheriff Gonzales a viable candidate. As a candidate for Sheriff, Gonzales neve came close to raising such a large sum of money. Keller on the other hand has done it. Both the measured finance committees for Gonzales are headed up by individuals who are ostensibly volunteers, totally unaccustomed to or who do not have access to the type of massive political contributions necessary to run a Mayor’s race.
Mayor Tim Keller’s measured finance committee identified as “ BUILD BACK ‘BURQUE” on the other hand has two highly connected individuals in the Democratic Party. Further, the Chairperson for “Build Back ‘Burque” is Michelle Mayorga and she has 20 years’ experience working on campaigns, progressive issues, and in local and national administrations. It’s likely “Build Back Burque will be relying upon Mayor Tim Keller’s contribution list of donors that contributed hundreds of thousands in campaign donations to his campaigns for State Senate and State Auditor. Keller’s measured finance committee may have not raised anything to date, but that will change dramatically as the race heats up.
THE CHALLENGES WE FACE
If things continue as they are, there will be only 2 candidates for Mayor out of the 4 announced, who will make the November 2, ballot. Further, it is more likely than not that Mayor Time Keller will be the only candidate that will qualify for public finance, with Sheriff Manny Gonzales falling far short of collecting the 3,779 qualifying $5.00 donations. It’s a damn shame.
The city is facing any number of problems that are bringing it to its knees. Those problems include the coronavirus pandemic, business closures, high unemployment rates, exceptionally high violent crime and murder rates, continuing mismanagement of the Albuquerque Police Department, failed implementation of the Department of Justice reforms after a full six years and millions spent, declining revenues and gross receipts tax, increasing homeless numbers, lack of mental health programs and little to none economic development.
The city cannot afford another mayor who makes promises and offers only eternal hope for better times that result in broken campaign promises. What is needed is a mayor who actually knows what the hell they are doing, who will make the hard decisions without an eye on the next election, not make decisions only to placate their base and please only those who voted for them. What’s needed is a healthy debate on solutions and new ideas to solve our mutual problems, a debate that can happen only with a contested election.
There is plenty of time for other candidates to run as privately financed candidates and raise private campaign donations. The time for privately financed candidates for Mayor to collect signatures is much later from publicly finance candidates. That time is from June 8 to August 10, 2021. Privately Finance Candidates for Mayor must also gather 3,000 signatures from registered voters within the City.
The commencement time for privately finance candidates to collect the 3,000 nominating petition signatures for Mayor is later and is June 8 to August 10. Privately finance candidates can collect donations at any time.
Anyone one interested in running for Mayor and who has a real love for this city and is concerned about what is happening is encouraged to contact the City Clerk’s office.
The link to the city web site for candidates is here:
https://www.cabq.gov/vote/candidate-information/2021-candidates
https://campaignfinance.cabq.gov/PublicSite/SearchPages/CommitteeSearch.aspx