Zozobra organizer rejects run for mayor

A Kiwanis Club organizer and Public Service Company of New Mexico spokesman who had said he might consider a run for mayor of Santa Fe announced Wednesday that he will not be a candidate.

Ray Sandoval issued a statement saying he intends to honor his promise to oversee the 10-year Zozobra Decades Project leading up to the event’s 100-year anniversary in 2024 and will not seek what will be an open mayoral seat in the March municipal election.

Directing the annual burning of Zozobra, which attracted a record number of attendees earlier this month, and serving as mayor would “present irreconcilable conflicts of interest,” Sandoval wrote.

“I know that Zozobra must remain completely separate from the world of politics,” he said.

Three-term City Councilor Ron Trujillo announced he would seek the mayor’s office months ago and has begun to campaign in earnest. Mayor Javier Gonzales’ announcement last week that he would not seek re-election, meanwhile, is expected to prompt others to enter the race.

After Gonzales’ announcement, Sandoval was one of a few potential new candidates to make their interest known. Another was Councilor Joseph Maestas, who had previously said he would seek re-election in the southeast-side District 2.

Sandoval, a District 2 resident, said that if Maestas does seek the mayor’s office, he will not run for what would then be Maestas’ open council seat. “Unfortunately” the conflicts of interests with organizing the Zozobra festivities “are still present as a councilor,” Sandoval said in a text, calling his decision bittersweet.