Crime Crisis Headlines Latest Mayoral Debate; Keller Deflects Blame To Covid While His Opponents Leave Much On The Table, Plus: First TV Ads In ABQ And Santa Fe Mayor Races

Eddy Aragon argued at the end of last night's mayoral debate before the ABQ Chamber of Commerce that he and Sheriff Manny Gonzales demonstrated why Mayor Tim Keller should be removed from office--that he was elected to solve the crime problem and failed. 

Keller may not have made much headway with crime but neither did Aragon or Gonzales succeed in pinning him down and fixing the blame squarely on his shoulders. 

Radio talker Aragon argued you could not blame Covid or the national trend for the city crime epidemic but time and again Keller did just that and his opponents failed to drill down on the specific mistakes the administration made that have contributed to the city's record number of homicides and the continuing high rate of auto and other property crime. 

What exactly is wrong with APD? Where has its leadership and that of the 11th floor specifically failed? How would you change that? Without those answers the mayor's well-practiced spin stood up to the test.

All three candidates agreed more cops are needed, that the turnstile system that frees violent criminals to the streets needs fixing as well as a resolution to the yearslong Department of Justice oversight of the department.

Gonzales (Journal)

Aragon said he would establish more specialized APD units for property and other crimes. Gonzales said he would solve the problem by having APD consolidate or contract with the Sheriff's department, a solution riddled with legal holes and political impracticality.

Gonzales tried but the best he could come up with was calling out Keller for "ultra liberal" policies that he says are the blame for the high crime here and other Blue cities. But what those exact policies are were mostly left unsaid. (He did cite that old bromide of ABQ as a Sanctuary City). He also said Keller was "immature" for blaming others for the crime crisis. 

Gonzales and Aragon will have several more chances to confront Keller but they have to take their blindfolds off and pin the tail directly on the donkey.

SIDEBARS

Aragon (Journal)

Aragon scored laughs when he noted Keller's real estate deals for the homeless shelter and a downtown soccer stadium calling him "Tim Trump" after the developer president. Republican Aragon is an avid Trump fan. He also called the $50 million stadium bond on the ballot "a sweetheart deal" between Keller and wealthy NM United soccer team co-owner Peter Trevisani. 

Sheriff Gonzales maintained that Amazon built its new warehouse distribution center in the county and not the city because of the city's high crime rate, but he offered no evidence and Amazon has not said anything like that publicly. 

Gonzales offered a head scratcher when he asserted the Gateway Center for the homeless planned for the old Lovelace Hospital near Kirtland Air Force Base would "compromise security at Sandia National Labs." Huh?

The debate was broadcast on conservative outlet KKOB radio. The host who followed the event was critical of the Mayor's "excuses" and announced he was giving him the nickname of "Covid Keller." That will now be in competition with the Keller campaign's favorite nickname of "Mayor Tim."

The next joint appearance for the mayoral candidates is scheduled for October 6 before the Westside Coalition of Neighborhood Associations.

WEBBER GETS IT DONE

That's the enthusiastic title of the first TV ad from Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber who has far outraised his rivals JoAnne Vigil Coppler and Alexis Martinez and is able to go on the broadcast airwaves while they remain dark. 

This first ad is a soft sell with Webber launching the spot, saying: "This past year has been tough for the people of Santa Fe." The remainder of the 30 second piece concentrates on his leadership during the Covid crisis, with various Santa Fe residents praising his economic recovery efforts. 

One elderly voter waves her finger at the camera and says firmly: "He made some tough decisions and things are looking up." (Maybe she should run).

The mayoral campaign in the City Different has been roiled by racial and economic divisions played out in the free media but you would never know that from Webber's opening volley. If his opponents are going to redirect the narrative back to those matters they are going to have to pay up. Webber is set to dominate the airwaves until the Nov. 2 election. 

SAME FOR KELLER

All the consultants must agree that the handling of Covid is the safest way to go for their incumbent clients. Like Webber, in his first ad Mayor Keller sticks with the Covid theme, touting the success the city has had dealing with the virus, albeit with a bunch of help from the Feds. His spot is here. 

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2021