Gonzales To Appeal Decision As City Reaffirms Rejection of Taxpayer Campaign Funds; Insiders Gauge His Chances Of Getting Private Cash, Plus: Senators Cervantes And Candelaria Make Headlines; Political Consequences?

Gonzales

Word arrived after we published that Gonzales will indeed appeal the city's denial of public financing of his campaign to district court:

We are not surprised that the hearing officer handpicked by Keller’s city clerk rubber-stamped the decision made by the city clerk. We will be appealing to district court, which is where we always believed this will ultimately be decided,” the Gonzales campaign said.

Manny Gonzales held his fire in the immediate aftermath of a city hearing officer's ruling that upheld the denial of $661,000 in public financing for his mayoral campaign. The BernCo sheriff did not say whether he would take the avenue of last resort--an appeal to district court--to gain the funding that could be critical to his hopes to upset Mayor Tim Keller at the Nov. 2 election. 

An appeal would present opportunity but also legal treachery. Top campaign aides would have to explain under oath how no crime was committed even though the campaign admits some voter donation signatures were forged to get Gonzales enough of the $5 contributions to qualify for public financing.

Supporters of Gonzales were maintaining that even if he ends up not getting the public money, he could still raise enough private cash to be competitive with Keller. Former GOP BernCo County Commissioner Michael Wiener asserted:

There is plenty of money to be raised. The anger level over crime and the direction of the city is also there. I think Manny could tap into that. Raising $500,000 is not out of the question, even though there is the issue of time hanging over his head.

An outside committee supporting Gonzales this month reported $85,000 in cash on hand while one supporting Keller had about $18,000. 

Still, the city's decision to deny him public financing and the Gonzales campaign admission of forgeries have taken their toll. A Senior Alligator contemplating events said;

Gonzales commits forgery and then says he's the guy to fight crime? The optics don't match. I think it's enough to finish him off. 

There's no public polling yet to back up the various opinions on the state of the race. Meanwhile, the city awaits Gonzales' next move.

REFORM WATCH

Ivey-Soto

We checked in with state elections expert and ABQ Dem State Senator Daniel Ivey-Soto to get a clear picture on that proposal outlined here to have the ABQ Inspector General take over the verification of public finance donations for mayor and city council candidates in light of the mess that has occurred this election 

Ivey Soto says the city has purview over the finance system and "can do  anything it wants." However the county clerk has purview over the nominating petitions for city candidates and the city can't change that. 

The problem is not with the nominating petitions but with the $5 individual donations and accompanying signatures to qualify for public financing--over $660,000 for a mayoral canadiate and in the neighborhood of $40,000 for city council contenders. 

Beefing up the check of the donations is seen by political pros as a step to preserve the integrity and confidence of public financing. Following the Nov. 2 election would be the time to begin a debate at the city council. 

SENATORIAL SPLASHES

State Senator Joe Cervantes is a moderate Democrat who has upset the newly empowered progressives at the legislature. But his denial of communion by the Archbishop of Las Cruces may have a political benefit for the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. We asked a Santa Fe Wall-Leaner to explain:

Cervantes

Joe is resented by progressives for dragging his feet on legalized marijuana and other bills that went before his Judiciary Committee. There's been much talk of a progressive Dem primary challenger running against him when he comes up for re-election again in 2024. The national publicity that he generated for revealing he had been denied communion for supporting the repeal of an anti-abortion law at the last legislative session is drawing progressive eyes and he is getting favorable reviews for protesting his denial of communion. We'll have to wait and see if that helps him avoid a potential progressive primary challenge. But right now he may be making some hay.

And what about the latest outburst from ABQ Dem Senator Jacob Candelaria against Gov. Lujan Grisham, Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth and Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart? He attacks what he calls the "white progressive elite ambivalence" over queer people and people of color. The ABQ Westside lawmaker says other stuff as well that had reporter Daniel Chacon strapping on his muck boots and diving in. Let's call in another Senior Gator for their take:

Joe, Jacob has been attacking the Senate leadership and Governor repeatedly. There will have to be a price to pay or else the order in the chamber is going to be upended. Look for Pro Tem Stewart to take Jacob off of the powerful Senate Finance Committee if the antics continue.

Candelaria has resigned from the state senate Dem caucus. No comment from Wirth or Mimi over his latest tongue lashing. 

THE BOTTOM LINES

It's true. This will be the only mayoral election since the founding of ABQ's modern form of government in 1974 when there will be no Republican on the mayoral ballot. It's another sign of the near extinction of the party in Bernalillo County, even though is was only seven years ago--in 2014--that the city elected a GOP mayor. 

This is the home of New Mexico politics. 

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2021