Guest Blog by Sen. Tim Keller: Finding Clarity for Dems in 'Non-Partisan' Mayor's Race

This is a guest blog by State Senator Tim Keller (D, SD-17).

I recently watched the movie “Street Fight, the Corey Booker Story” (a great rental, about the now legendary Mayoral race in Newark) and couldn’t help but reflect on why many people get sick of politicians during city elections. If you think the negativity in ABQ is bad this year, be glad we don’t live in Newark J . The movie also made me consider why this Mayoral race is unique and how partisanship can be a clarifying tool to cut through all the rhetoric.

Given where the numbers are, all Democrats strategically have one overarching objective, one we can all agree on: force a run-off by keeping the GOP candidate from getting 40%.

In a runoff, either Dem should win given our city demographics and a good grassroots effort (think Obama, Heinrich, etc). Both Dem candidates, regardless of their histories, have Democratic public records.

Whether a Dem votes for Chavez or Romero, it won’t have an effect on holding Berry below 40%.

I love passionate debates and action packed campaigns, but this late in the game Dem bitter infighting will only help the GOP. It drives down Dem turnout (frustrated, disillusioned people usually don’t vote). The important thing for both candidates right now is to pull votes away from the GOP candidate or else the Dems are out.

The numbers reality for Dems is that we have the equivalent of a Democratic primary. If you’re tired of all the negativity, and tired of politicians, there is clarity: vote for sure, pick a Dem based on your conscience, save your vehemence for the runoff against the GOP, and unite behind the Dem winner after Tuesday.

This is a guest blog by State Sen. Tim Keller. If you'd like to submit a piece for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of the page. To see a collection of guest blogs published on the DFNM blog, visit our archive.