Tim Keller seeks to make history, officially launches reelection bid
His announcement comes at a time when tensions are flaring with the city council; voters have favored charter amendments that chip away at the strong mayor system, and crime and homelessness are top of mind for residents.
"I see what you see: the challenges with homelessness, with crime, with empty buildings, but I also see that we're finally getting traction on some of these big challenges," Keller said in a campaign ad released Thursday.
Homelessness —in line with the national trend — has increased since Keller was elected.
In 2017, the year before Keller took office, the annual Point in Time Count recorded 1,318 people experiencing homelessness in Albuquerque. In 2024 the same study counted 2,740 people sleeping on the streets in the city.
Since his election, Keller's administration has focused on and spent millions on the Gateway network of shelters, which has a capacity of just over 800 beds and offers resources for medical and housing services.
Keller also touts that crime numbers are down in the advertisement.
Albuquerque Police Department crime stats indicate that property crime has steadily declined since Keller assumed office in 2018, whereas violent crime has experienced fluctuations.
In August, Keller confirmed his intention to run for a third term and told KOAT-TV that he was doing so to "finish key projects."
He was not made available for comment Thursday.
His formal announcement to pursue a third term comes after a year when the City Council made multiple attempts to change the city charter, including a change that would have no longer required a 50% majority for a candidate to win the mayoral election; — Keller vetoed it.
But voters approved a pair of charter changes in November 2024.
The change boosts the council's power to fire police and fire chiefs and requires the council and mayor's office to quickly fill seats on a committee that aims to address separation of powers issues.
Keller's announcement also comes on the heels of a meeting when city councilors overwhelmingly overturned a veto from and sided on a 7-2 vote with the local firefighter's union to override staffing changes from the fire chief appointed by Keller.
The incumbent mayor will face off against former Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White, conservative radio show host Eddy Aragon, former Sandoval County Deputy County Manager Mayling Armijo, retired firefighter Eddie Varela and Patrick Sais, who garnered approximately 30 write-in votes during the last mayoral election.
Additionally, City Councilor Louie Sanchez — one of the most vocal critics of Keller and Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina — told local non-profit news outlet City Desk that he is eyeing a run for mayor.
Keller was first elected in a runoff election in 2017 and easily held on to his seat in 2021.
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 only mayor in the city's history to serve three terms was Martin J. Chávez from 1993 to 1997 and 2001 to 2009.
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