Who's running for Albuquerque mayor? Here's what we know.
Feb. 7—There are 270 days until the mayoral election, and so far one person has filed to run.
Mayling Armijo, former deputy county manager for Sandoval County, is the first candidate listed on the City Clerk's website. If elected, she would become the first female mayor of the city.
"I'm not a politician. I want the job. I want to fix this, I want to do this. I'm very passionate about the city," Armijo told the Journal on Monday. "Moving away is not an option. Fixing it is."
While the mayor's race is technically nonpartisan, Armijo said she identifies as a moderate Democrat.
Armijo worked as director of economic development for Bernalillo County and served in the Navy Reserve for 14 years with one deployment.
She will challenge incumbent Tim Keller, who is vying to become the first Albuquerque mayor elected to three consecutive terms. Keller has not filed yet.
"Mayor Keller is focused on running the city and will likely get to filing in March," Staci Drangmeister, a spokesperson for the mayor, said in a statement.
Like Keller, Eddie Aragon is planning to file in March.
The local conservative radio show host ran for the city's highest office in 2021, coming in third with 18% of the vote, as Keller cruised to reelection with 56%.
Aragon told the Journal that he only got 18% of the vote because he entered the race so late and wasn't taken seriously by the media.
"I brought a lot of energy. There were lines out the door. I believe that I got way more than 20%," Aragon said, adding that his vision for the city is the same as it was in 2021.
Aragon won't be the only Republican-leaning candidate in the race. Eddie Varela, a 72-year-old retired firefighter who served as a deputy chief and union president, told the Journal he is running for the job.
"I was born and raised here. It's been good to me, and I remember the days when it was a beautiful city, and I think we can do that again," Varela said in an interview last month. He also has yet to file.
The Regular Local Election, which also includes the seats in City Council Districts 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, is slated for Nov. 4. The deadline for candidates to file is Aug. 26.
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