I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
Richard Romero and Richard Berry
As if New Mexico didn’t have enough to digest with the state’s troubled finances and repeated scandals, residents in the state’s biggest city woke up to a new mayor after Albuquerque’s municipal elections in October.
In a big surprise, Richard Berry, a two-term Republican state legislator, knocked off Martin Chavez in convincing fashion, collecting nearly 44 percent of votes to Chavez’s 35 percent in a three-way mayoral contest. Former state Senate President Pro-Tem Richard Romero received nearly 21 percent of the vote.
Early on it appeared as if Chavez might walk away with the race. But the decision by each candidate, including Chavez, to participate in the city’s public financing system ultimately exerted its influence. Whereas Chavez raised over $1 million in 2005 for his first re-election effort, he was limited to $328,000 this time around.
Berry and Romero started hammering away at Chavez in the spring. For much of the spring and summer, Chavez appeared to stay above the fray, ignoring the critiques in an attempt to strike a pose of a veteran chief executive concerned more with governing than the day-to-day politics of a campaign.
President Bill Clinton and Mayor Martin Chavez
But this was a bruising campaign for Chavez. Amid all the criticisms from his competitors, Chavez also had to fend off accusations of pay-to-play in his administration. A city contractor, John Bode of Bode Aero Services, made detailed allegations against the mayor and some city staff involving pressure for favors in sworn testimony. Chavez called Bode’s lawsuit “absolute garbage.”
Chavez didn’t take the gloves off until the last three weeks, but by then it was too late. Berry walked away with the mayoral contest, surprising many with his victory.
