Keller wins Albuquerque mayor’s race

Tim Keller will be Albuquerque’s next mayor. Keller won the mayorship in a runoff election Tuesday night, easily defeating Albuquerque City Councilor Dan Lewis. Also on Tuesday, Cynthia Borrego won a seat on the city council, defeating Robert Aragon in a runoff election. With the Democrat winning, the party expanded its support on the council. […]

Keller wins Albuquerque mayor’s race

Tim Keller will be Albuquerque’s next mayor.

Keller won the mayorship in a runoff election Tuesday night, easily defeating Albuquerque City Councilor Dan Lewis.

Also on Tuesday, Cynthia Borrego won a seat on the city council, defeating Robert Aragon in a runoff election. With the Democrat winning, the party expanded its support on the council.

“Tonight our city has awakened and our city has spoken and we have truly come together,” the Democrat told a crowd of supporters.

Keller said the results showed the city “rejected negative campaigning.”

“And we rejected division,” he said. “We rejected fear. We rejected language that was designed to divide us. And we came together. We stood and we embraced our diversity. We embraced our potential, the possibility of the Albuquerque we can be. We embraced inclusion and we embraced unity.”

Keller will take office on Dec. 1, replacing Mayor Richard Berry, who served two terms and did not run for a third term. Keller currently serves as New Mexico State Auditor, and when he leaves that position, Gov. Susana Martinez will appoint his replacement.

Albuquerque city elections are officially nonpartisan, but many divisions fell along party lines between Keller and his Republican opponent, Dan Lewis. Berry, the exiting mayor, is also a Republican.

During a short concession speech and press conference Tuesday evening, Lewis wished Keller luck, adding that he hopes Keller will be a great mayor.

He also said he believed that crime had come to define Albuquerque and that this would be the major issue for the new mayor.

Keller’s victory comes at a time with a high crime rate, a struggling economy and discontent over the construction of a major public transit line through the city’s core. These issues, along with problems brought on by the overall economic struggles of the state, will prove an early test for Keller.

Lewis campaigned largely on the crime issue, echoing media reports and what Republicans have been saying in Santa Fe at the state legislature on a “revolving door” for criminals and the need for increased sentences.

Lewis frequently criticized Keller’s crime plan, calling it “hug a thug.”

Keller said the margin of victory provided him a “clear mandate” to implement his priorities, including cracking down on crime and helping early childhood education.

In 2009, Berry’s victory was seen as a precursor to the Republican ascendancy. A year later, Susana Martinez took over the governor’s mansion and Republicans cut into the Democratic State House majority.

At that time, the mayor of Albuquerque was a Democrat, as was an outgoing two-term governor. In this election, the mayor of Albuquerque is a Republican, as is the outgoing two-term governor.

City council race

Borrego defeated Robert Aragon in City Council District 5. Borrego is a Democrat, while Aragon is a Republican.

“Seven months ago I got in this race because I was sick and tired of the direction this city was headed, the crime that plagues this city has to stop, we must bring back our economy, and we must invest into our children’s education,” Borrego said. “This has been a hard fought race, and I am humbled by tonight’s results, voters are hungry for real change, they want to be taken seriously and make sure the issues are actually being addressed.

The district is currently held by Lewis until his term ends at the end of the month.

The win means that Democrats now have a supermajority of six seats on the nine-seat council. Democrats have enough votes to override a veto of the mayor, which would be unlikely with Keller in office.

The wider majority also means there would not need to be a unanimous vote among Democrats to pass legislation on the city council.

The Democratic Party of New Mexico praised Keller and Borrego.

“After eight years of the failed Republican administration of Berry and Lewis, it’s obvious why voters chose Tim Keller and Cynthia Borrego tonight–they’re ready for leaders who will invest in our communities and bring solutions to the challenges the city faces,” DPNM chair Richard Ellenberg said.

Laura Paskus contributed to this report.

Update: This story has been updated with quotes from Tim Keller.

Update: Added information on city council race, quote from Richard Ellenberg.

Update: Added quote by Cynthia Borrego.

We're ad free

That means that we rely on support from readers like you. Help us keep reporting on the most important New Mexico Stories by donating today.

Related

Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pocket vetoed two bills the legislature passed this legislative session: one changing the Cybersecurity Act and the other concerning law…
Gov signs bills with some vetoes 

Gov signs bills with some vetoes 

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed 69 bills that the legislature passed during the 2024 legislative session. These included the General Appropriations Act which contains…
Guv signs state budget

Guv signs state budget

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the budget bill for Fiscal Year 2025 and the Capital Outlay spending bill. The FY25 state budget bill passed…
State fines oil company more than $2 million after spill

State fines oil company more than $2 million after spill

The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department fined an oil and gas company operating in the Permian Basin more than $2 million over produced…
PRC denies request to build LNG storage facility

PRC denies request to build LNG storage facility

The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission unanimously rejected a request by the New Mexico Gas Co. to build, own and operate a liquified natural…
NM Supreme Court upholds Community Solar Rule

NM Supreme Court upholds Community Solar Rule

Hours after the New Mexico Supreme Court heard arguments in the investor-owned utilities’ appeal of the community solar rule, the justices upheld the regulations…
Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican The main things that bring Brayan Chavez to school every day: Seeing, talking to and engaging with…
Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican Brittany Behenna Griffith has a laundry list of adjectives to describe the ideal special education teacher:…
Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican A challenging task awaits New Mexico lawmakers in the next 30 days: Reconciling three very different…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…
Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee discussed a potential constitutional amendment that seeks to limit the governor’s executive powers. The committee approved…
Supreme Court censures attorney over conduct in anti-COVID policy suits

Supreme Court censures attorney over conduct in anti-COVID policy suits

The New Mexico State Supreme Court censured a New Mexico attorney because of her “misconduct” in two unsuccessful cases pushing back on COVID-19 regulations…
Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Later this month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the case against the abortion medication mifepristone. It will hear a second…
How Biden, others highlighted reproductive rights at the State of the Union

How Biden, others highlighted reproductive rights at the State of the Union

President Joe Biden highlighted reproductive rights issues as part of his State of the Union speech Thursday. Biden delivered his 2024 State of the…
Stansbury invites OB-GYN doctor as her state of the union guest 

Stansbury invites OB-GYN doctor as her state of the union guest 

U.S. House of Rep. Melanie Stansbury has invited an OB-GYN doctor from Roswell as her guest for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union…
Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Later this month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the case against the abortion medication mifepristone. It will hear a second…
How Biden, others highlighted reproductive rights at the State of the Union

How Biden, others highlighted reproductive rights at the State of the Union

President Joe Biden highlighted reproductive rights issues as part of his State of the Union speech Thursday. Biden delivered his 2024 State of the…
Stansbury invites OB-GYN doctor as her state of the union guest 

Stansbury invites OB-GYN doctor as her state of the union guest 

U.S. House of Rep. Melanie Stansbury has invited an OB-GYN doctor from Roswell as her guest for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union…
See who’s going to be on your primary ballot in June

See who’s going to be on your primary ballot in June

Tuesday marked the official beginning of the 2024 New Mexico primary season for the legislature, with candidates officially filing for candidacy. This is the…

Bill to require disclosure of use of AI in campaign materials goes to governor

The Senate approved a bill aiming to require the disclosure of the use of artificial intelligence or other changes made by computers to campaign…
House amends, passes bill banning firearms near polling places

House amends, passes bill banning firearms near polling places

The House narrowly approved a bill that would ban firearms near polling places. The House voted 35-34 to pass the bill following an extensive…
U.S. Supreme Court lets ban on Couy Griffin from holding office stand

U.S. Supreme Court lets ban on Couy Griffin from holding office stand

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of a Republican official who was barred from holding office after being convicted for a…
Politics Newsletter: legislative leaders not running for reelection

Politics Newsletter: legislative leaders not running for reelection

Hello fellow political junkies! Candidate filing day has come and gone, and members of House and Senate leadership opted to either not seek reelection…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…

GET INVOLVED

© 2023 New Mexico Political Report