Big Bucks and the ABQ Mayoral Race

From NM Politics with Joe Monahan:

ABQ Mayor Marty will flex his big money muscle March 29 when he hosts a $1000 a pop dinner party with former San Antonio Mayor and Clinton cabinet secretary Henry Cisneros. I had to learn this from outside of the Chavez camp even though I attended the Mayor's 53rd birthday party the other night. I guess I got nothing because I did not pay to get in. Anyway, insiders on the outside tell me the party will be hosted by Downtown touter Leba Freed at her big house in the far NE Heights. Chavez has already raised well over $100 grand and will probably head north of the $400K level.

His only announced challenger so far, City Councilor Eric Griego, was also raising money at a party in Santa Fe this week. Griego will need about $300K (my estimate) to get this one competitive. The election is in October. It will take a 40% winner to avoid a run-off.

DFA-DFNM in Albuquerque will be developing an endorsement process and we expect to take a stand on this race. We are planning a mayoral candidate forum in early summer, and we'll be creating a candidate questionnaire and a voting process that will decide which candidate we will endorse. More info coming soon.