Credit Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales is making a pitch to be Albuquerque’s next mayor. Gonzales declared his candidacy in an official online campaign video Monday. The sheriff, who was born in Albuquerque, says Mayor Tim Keller has failed to improve the city. Gonzales says the violent crime rate has soared above the national average. He says he will release proposals in the coming weeks to address issues such as homelessness and help for small businesses. Gonzales, a Democrat like Keller, was re-elected to a four-year term as sheriff in 2018. Keller announced last month that he would run for mayor again. The mayoral election will take place in November.
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Mayor Tim Keller and Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales have said they are running for mayor. Both are seeking public financing and will likely make the ballot. Voters need at least four more viable candidates for mayor, and time still remains for others.
Mayor Keller
Mayor Tim Keller
Keller is the front runner because of incumbency. His accomplishments have been less than stellar. The city’s high murder rate is rising even further. There will be more violent crime during the hot summer as people break out of quarantine as things return to normal. Keller has not come close to the change he promised in 2017. After being elected, Keller signed a tax increase after promising not to raise taxes without a public vote. Keller failed to make the sweeping changes to the Albuquerque Police Department, and his promised implementation of the DOJ reforms stalled so much that he fired his first c