Like the rest of the political community ABQ City Hall insiders are tracking the latest campaign polling like bloodhounds on a scent, but they're also looking at some polling of their own and are pretty pleased with what they are seeing.

One of the insiders with a reliable track record says Mayor Tim Keller has weathered the first ten months of his mayoralty in good shape with his approval rating in the vicinity of the 62 percent that he was elected with last November.

Another interesting point in the Keller polling, according to our insider, is that more than a majority of city residents finally believe the city under the leadership of Democrat Keller is headed in the right direction. However, those polled believe the state, led by Republican Governor Martinez, is still headed down the wrong path.

The explanation? It's not that ABQ has suddenly been transformed into a crime free zone with high paying jobs. It's that people are now hopeful that the city under new leadership has a shot at improving.

The final years of Republican Mayor Berry were dreadful with soaring crime rates, a sour economy and a woeful public transit project known as ART. It's not that city residents believe happy days are here again; it's that they are pleased to see a new face at the helm. Now it's up to that new face to  perform and put smiles on the faces of his constituents.

(We caution that we have not seen the actual poll and are relying one one of our reliable sources--known around here as an "Alligator" if you are new to the blog. If we get burned that Gator faces the fearsome punishment of 20 lashes with a wet noodle, a ban on consuming red or green chile for one year and 7 days in solitary confinement in a morada in Mora County. That will keep them honest).

One plan Mayor Keller is winning praise over--after being scorned for not acting quickly--is the establishment of a Downtown Public Safety District. It's quite comprehensive and is raising hopes that the death spiral the center of the city has been enduring is finally ending. New jobs coming to the area are also boosting hopes. Keller has also come with a plan to alleviate homelessness in the city.

DEBATE NIGHT

It's time for the first televised gubernatorial debate of the '18 campaign. The face-off starts tonight at 6 p.m. on KASA FOX 2 in ABQ and a live stream at krqe.com. For those outside the ABQ media market, the debate will also be broadcast on KTSM-TV Channel 9 in El Paso which covers Las Cruces and environs.

The debate runs for one hour. The format is pretty loose with a lone moderator keeping an eye on things while the two contenders are free to go into detail--or on the attack--on the issues raised. They will be allowed to question one another.

With a seven point lead over Republican Steve Pearce in the ABQ Journal poll--50-43--Michelle Lujan Grisham will work to avoid any major gaffe that could reset the race. Pearce can be expected to try to jar her loose with an aggressive performance. A key question: Will he bring anything new about his opponent to the table? Well, his campaign is revving up the pre-debate rhetoric:

Tomorrow evening Steve Pearce will go head to head with our far left opponent in a live televised debate on FOX NM and KTSM. . . 

Meantime, the Pearce campaign had to recut its hit ad on MLG and Delta Consulting because the spot attributed info in the ad to a news organization that actually came from a blog authored by former State Sen. Rod Adair.

As for Delta, MLG Dem primary rival Jeff Apodaca is still on the case. The group NM Democrats for Democracy, which he is involved with, sent out a timetable on Delta and the high risk insurance pool it runs that goes back to the 90's. It's well-produced and uncomplicates a complicated subject. While raising questions about the politics involved in the Delta contract there is no smoking gun revealing any criminal acts or intent.

Both campaigns will have debate watch parties tonight. Pearce supporters will the at the Marble Heights Taproom on Montgomery NE and of MLG's ABQ watch party will be at Democratic offices at 1605 Juan Tabo Blvd NE, Suite G.

Reader Richard Flores is one of the 7 percent who are said to be undecided in the newspaper poll. He says he will be watching tonight:

I'm not excited about either candidate. I think MLG's poll numbers reflect more of a Democratic backlash against Trump and his supporters, including the congressional leadership. I think (Dem Lt. Governor candidate) Howie Morales will help the Democratic cause for the upcoming election, but I have lots of questions about MLG's leadership style and her authenticity. Perhaps the debate on Wednesday evening will help to better define her character. I hope so.

ANOTHER TV DEBATE

The candidates for ABQ's U.S. House seat will have their first televised debate this Thursday. Democrat Deb Haaland, Republican Janice Arnold-Jones and Libertarian Lloyd Princeton will go at it beginning at 7 p.m. tomorrow night on KNME-TV in ABQ. The seat is being vacated by Rep. Lujan Grisham who is running for governor. The seat has been in Dem hands since 2009.

GET OUT GARY

How about this for bad timing? With less than 50 days to go before the election Ryan Cangiolosi, chairman of the NM Republican Party, is calling on former NM GOP Governor and current Libertarian Party US Senate nominee to get out of the race:

Chairman Cangiolosi called on Johnson to withdraw his candidacy from New Mexico’s U.S. Senate race: Johnson has a long legacy of service to New Mexico, but our shared beliefs in smaller, more fiscally responsible government would be best served if he withdrew his candidacy. Sunday’s Albuquerque Journal poll painted a stark picture of the state of this race: in a head to head matchup, Republican nominee Mick Rich would be within just a few points of Democrat Martin Heinrich. We call on Gary Johnson to put New Mexico first and clear a path for Mick Rich to become New Mexico’s next Senator.

Poor Mick Rich. The GOP treated him like a rented mule for two years while he wandered in the wilderness seeking support from his party brethren but getting none. Now that the handwriting is on the wall and the R's face a humiliating Senate defeat they are trying to throw Mick a bone--or save themselves from the embarrassment of a major party nominee perhaps not getting even 30 percent of the vote. Even if Gary did get out (which he tells the Journal is “laughable”) Rich would have little chance of winning. Despite that great last name, at last report Mick had less than $200,000 banked.

TRAIL DUST

Sen. Heinrich has released a round radio ads targeted at seven regions in the state. . .

Four judges on the ABQ Metro Court are getting the thumbs down from the New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission which is urging voters to vote not to retain them in November. A judge up for retention must get 57 percent of the vote to stay on the bench. Four is one of the highest number of judges ever to be found wanting by the commission. . .

How about a president from our neighboring state of Colorado? Dem Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper is preparing to join the growing list of possible Dem nominees to take on Trump in 2020. Not only is he a long shot but if he were to win wouldn't he have the longest last name in presidential history?

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