Commissioner endorses former rival Lewis
They were bitter rivals in the months leading up to the Oct. 3 mayoral election, but City Councilor Dan Lewis and Bernalillo County Commissioner Wayne Johnson appear to have buried the hatchet.
Johnson issued a statement on Wednesday endorsing Lewis for mayor. It’s one of several endorsements that Lewis has received recently.
“As a County Commissioner I understand the challenges our city and county face,” said Johnson, a Republican. “It’s critical that our next mayor already have a working knowledge of those challenges and how the city can face them. Dan Lewis’ experience in business and on the city council make him the best choice for mayor on November 14th. I look forward to working with Dan when he is elected mayor of our great city.”
Lewis, a Republican, is facing State Auditor Tim Keller, a Democrat, in the Nov. 4 mayoral runoff. City races are nonpartisan, meaning that party affiliation will not appear on the ballot.
Three other former mayoral candidates have also endorsed Lewis: independents Michelle Garcia Holmes and Eddy Aragon and Republican Ricardo Chaves.
Others endorsing Lewis are U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, and City Councilors Trudy Jones, Don Harris and Brad Winter, all Republicans.
“Albuquerque needs a leader who will both make the city safe and move the city forward, and Dan Lewis is the only candidate with a plan to do just that,” Pearce said in a statement.
Keller has also received several endorsements since making the runoff, including one from Attorney General Hector Balderas, a Democrat.
“I have worked closely with Tim Keller as auditor to fight corruption and ensure whitecollar criminals are held accountable,” Balderas said in a statement. “Tim Keller has made a real difference for our state and there is no one I trust more to keep Albuquerque families safe.”
Others who have recently endorsed Keller include U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., former Democratic Party chair and candidate for Congress Deb Haaland, and state Sen. Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque.
“Tim will lead the way to a safer, more prosperous future for all the people of Albuquerque,” Udall said. “I’m supporting him, and I’m asking you to as well today.”
SUPPORT FOR BORREGO:
District 5 City Council candidate Cynthia Borrego, a Democrat, has picked up the support of U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M.
“Cynthia is the public safety candidate in this race; she’s been endorsed by both police and fire unions; she has a five-point plan to fix crime and a four-point plan to create job growth,” Heinrich said in robocalls to District 5 voters recently.
Borrego is facing Robert Aragon, a Republican, in the runoff.