Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, a generally liberal Democrat, won a second term in office after winning a runoff election in 2017 with 62% of the vote. His tenure has been marked by an ongoing crime crisis upon which his opponents sought to capitalize.
Keller – the undisputed frontrunner in the race – was able to surpass 50% of the vote and avoid a runoff election. One recent poll registered 53% support for Keller, while another found him with just 41%.
Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales – another Democrat who ran as a “tough on crime” sheriff and referred to himself as a “fiscal conservative” – was Keller’s chief opponent. New Mexico in Depth reported in July that Gonzales was working closely with prominent Republican consultants in the state, and that much of the sheriff’s base of support came from traditionally Republican areas of the city.
Also in the race is Eddy Aragon, a conservative radio host who made the issue of both crime and vaccine mandates central to his campaign. Aragon jumped into the race late, rapidly garnering the necessary signatures to qualify as a candidate just days before the August deadline. Recent polls indicated that 13-18% of Albuquerque voters supported him.
New Mexico Vibe Magazine 