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Chavez: non-candidate candidate
It’s final — three candidates have qualified for public financing in Albuquerque’s 2009 mayor’s race.
State Rep. Richard Berry — the only Republican in the field of candidates — qualified for the funds yesterday, which was the deadline for turning in 3,287 $5 contributions from registered voters in the city.
In a statement, Berry said he was “greatly humbled” by the support he received from family, friends and volunteers in the quest to gather the contributions, which provided “incredible” momentum to his campaign. He then gave an indication of the themes of his campaign:
Our momentum going into this campaign is incredible. Albuquerque is ready for a fresh start. This city is ready for a mayor who will bring a business-like approach and common sense to City Hall and who understands that accountability to the taxpayer is paramount. As mayor, I will work diligently on behalf of all Albuquerque citizens.
In a report sent at the end of business yesterday to the three candidates who qualified for public financing, the city clerk’s office gave the most current number of contributions turned in.
So far, former New Mexico Senate President Pro Tem Richard Romero has turned in 5,025 contributions, and the city has verified that 3,524 of those are from registered Albuquerque voters.
Mayor Martin Chavez, the only candidate to qualify who hasn’t officially announced his intention to run for what would be a fourth term, has turned in 5,179, and the city has verified 3,523 of those.
And Berry has turned in 4,793 contributions, and the clerk has verified 3,523.
Candidates had until midnight yesterday — March 31 — to turn in contributions, so there may be a few more turned in.
While the race to get the contributions turned in within a six-week period of time has attracted some attention, its not the only hurdle candidates have to jump.
The $5 contributions are what qualify a candidate for public financing, and they will get their distribution of roughly $328,000 in public funds on Friday.
But they also have to gather petition signatures from 2 percent of registered voters in the city — about 6,500 — by the end of April to get on the Oct. 6 ballot. In this quest, they join a handful of candidates who have declared they’ll run as privately financed candidates. These include Rob Dickson, James Thomas, Rudolph Serrano and Donna Rowe.
