Let the Benton bashing begin. And it has. With Election Day Nov. 5 and with early voting in full swing, negative mailers against ABQ Dem City Councilor Ike Benton are in the mailboxes in an effort to unseat the veteran councilor.

It's been a long time coming. Benton, who represents District 2 which includes Downtown/Barelas and the North Valley, has long been seen as the most vulnerable of the three incumbent councilors seeking re-election but his five opponents--that's right five--have held off attacking Benton whose support of the controversial ART project and a historic crime epidemic make him a prime target.

Robert B. Nelson came with the Benton hit posted at the top of the blog, faulting the architect/councilor for advancing ART, the rapid transit project on Central Avenue that has led to chaos for local businesses as well as drivers.

Nelson's fellow twentysomething, Zack Quintero, also came with a mailbox stuffer that declares:

Public safety has not been a priority in District 2. I will change that. I am the only candidate endorsed ire our firefighters and police officers.

Pointedly, both pieces do not mention Benton by name. Is that holding back too much at this point?  Probably.

Despite the late hits, neither Nelson or Quintero have carried them during free media opportunities on social media, at community forums or with interviews with the ABQ Journal and Alibi.

Benton continues to mail positive pieces, his latest posted here concentrates on the crime that his foes hope will be his downfall.

The bottom line is whether Benton, first elected in 2005, can be held below 50 percent and forced into a Dec. 10 run-off with the second top votegetter. You might think a run-off is a no-brainer in a six person race, but Benton's opponents let the summer and early fall slide without a whimper. That leaves a lot of ground to make up.

MORE BENTON BASHING

Measure Committee Benton attack

Also hitting Benton is a measure finance committee called ABQ United for District 2. It's latest report showed only $2,300 in the bank. Maybe they added to that to come with their piece attacking Benton for ART and posted here.

The committee is financed in large part by businessman and Quintero backer John Strong.

Will the committee come with significant money in the final days and shake Ike?

VOTER BONDING

All the 2019 ABQ bonds--totaling about $129 million--appear headed for passage. None has been singled out for intense criticism or paid media attacks, although local homeless shelter directors have questioned Mayor Keller's backing of a $14 million bond for a centralized 300 capacity homeless shelter.

There's also been grumbling about the $5 million in bond money to renovate the ABQ Rail Yards in Barelas near downtown. The city purchased the historic Rail Yards back in 2007 and nothing much has happened since. It's the only bond we'll be voting against--Metropolitan Redevelopment Bonds--because it is threatening to turn into a money pit.

The city announced that CNM will build a film production center at the Rail Yards and a successful seasonal Sunday market has developed but that's a long way from generating economic development that makes a real difference. And that $5 million could be used for more pragmatic programs like needed road repairs in the historic areas around the Rail Yards. Better to bulldoze most of the Rail Yards and devote the remaining portion to the film center and some boutique development. Otherwise, the Rail Yards could be ABQ's next ART.

PLUM JOB UPDATE

Damron

More news on that plum "government relations" (lobbyist) position UNM is filling and that could pay anywhere from $118,000 to $236,000 to start. After a bunch of politicos applied UNM held off on naming someone. Now this from the UNM President's office which has been skittish about making a final pick.

. . . Effective October 21, Barbara Damron will begin serving as our chief government relations officer overseeing all UNM legislative activities. All campus leadership will need to coordinate federal, state and community governmental relations work with Dr. Damron. This role will continue through the end of the fiscal year. We plan to reopen the search for the permanent position in the spring.

Republican Damron, a former Secretary of Higher Education under Governor Martinez, once sought the UNM Presidency.

The permanent lobbying post seems prepped to go to a Dem, considering outgoing BermCo Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins, Sen. Jon Sapien and other name D's are lining up for the gig.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2019