Lewis looks to return to City Council
Former member left after two terms to run for ABQ mayor in 2017
Four years after he left the Albuquerque City Council, Dan Lewis wants his old spot back.
Lewis has filed candidate registration documentation for this year’s race to represent District 5 — the northwest corner of the city, west of the river.
The oil company execu- tive held the seat for eight years before deciding in 2017 to run for mayor instead of seeking a third council term. Lewis received the second-most votes
in the crowded 2017 mayoral race, earning a spot in a runoff against Tim Keller. Keller ultimately won the runoff with about 62% of the vote.
Lewis said he has not thought much about politics since then, spending the intervening years doing “what most of us have done over the last four years,” which includes working and raising a family.
Now 51, Lewis said he believes his experience could make a positive difference on the West Side, particularly when it comes to improving roadways and upgrading public facilities, which he said was often his focus as a councilor.
“Obviously, I’m running because I feel like there are some great needs (and) I can help meet those needs. I think that the West Side still lags behind. … We are behind the rest of the city when it comes to park amenities; we’re behind the rest of the city when it comes to basic infrastructure,” Lewis said.
Lewis plans to seek public financing and said he intends to make his formal campaign announcement later this month.
Lewis was first elected to the council in 2009 and handily won a second term in 2013. During his tenure, colleagues twice elected him council president, in 2013 and 2016.
His District 5 successor, Cynthia Borrego, is the council’s current president. She is seeking reelection.
Phillip Ramirez has also registered as a District 5 candidate with the City Clerk’s Office.
Five of the Albuquerque City Council’s nine seats are on the 2021 ballot — Districts 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9.
The election is Nov. 2.