And then there was one.
Former Sheriff Darren White and current City Councilor Louie Sanchez have both abandoned efforts to seek public financing for their mayoral campaigns. That just leaves incumbent Mayor Tim Keller as the last mayoral candidate on track to qualify for almost $750,000 in taxpayer funds for the November city election.
White said that after meeting with his campaign team, the decision was made to end his pursuit of public financing for the 2025 mayoral race. Instead, White will pursue private financing in his bid for mayor.
“I am incredibly grateful. More than 2,000 people stepped forward to support our campaign through contributions – an overwhelming show of support from people who are tired of out-of-control crime, homeless tent cities taking over our streets and parks, and the endless excuses from a mayor who has failed miserably,” White said. “This process has uncovered what many have long suspected: our city’s public financing system is fundamentally flawed. Though designed to provide a pathway for viable candidates, in practice it has become an incumbent protection plan. Mayor Tim Keller has been the only candidate to qualify for public financing in the last three election cycles.”
White and Sanchez join former U.S. Attorney Alex Uballez, retired firefighter Eddie Varela, former policy analyst Patrick Sais, and business consultant Alpana Adair who have all abandoned efforts to qualify for a publicly-financed campaign. Small business owners Mayling Armijo and Daniel Chavez and community activist Brian Fejer all launched campaigns using traditional private donations.
As of Friday, Keller’s campaign had secured 3,040 of 3,780 – 80% – of the required $5 contributions. White, the next closest qualifier, had secured 2,000, or 53%. The deadline to meet the threshold is June 21.
Adeo Herrick, the other candidate still registered with the city clerk as seeking public financing, has submitted just 6 qualifying contributions, or less than 1%, in the 6 weeks since the process started.
When Uballez announced last week that he would forego public financing in favor of traditional donations, he criticized the city’s public financing system.
“When the only candidate who appears on track to qualify for public financing is the incumbent, it’s a clear sign that this isn’t working as it should,” Uballez said.
After Uballez made his announcement dropping public financing, Keller released a statement defending his campaign and the system that may reward him with an early financial investment of taxpayer funds.
“Qualifying for public financing isn’t supposed to be easy. It takes steady, sustained work,” Keller said. “So complaining that public financing doesn’t work is like blaming the ref because you can’t hit your free throws—it’s not the system’s fault you’re falling short. The real issue isn’t the rules; it’s a lack of grassroots support, campaign credibility, and the organizational strength to lead. Public financing remains one of Albuquerque’s most important democratic reforms. It keeps campaigns focused on voters, not big donors or special interests—and that’s exactly the kind of leadership our city deserves.”
Former Albuquerque City Councilor Eric Griego, the author of the city’s first public financing laws, wrote in the Albuquerque Journal that the current system “needs reform.”
“Currently, it is difficult for anyone other than incumbents and career politicians with strong partisan ties to qualify. Currently, it is difficult for anyone other than incumbents and career politicians with strong partisan ties to qualify,” Griego wrote.
“If we want to keep public financing as an option, we must address this barrier as well as make other reasonable reforms to the system. First, the threshold for qualifying for public financing in mayoral races should be cut in half from the current roughly 4,000 $5 contributions to 2,000. Second, the time period for collecting qualifying contributions should be extended from the current 64 days to at least 90 days. Third, oversight and penalties for coordination with MFCs should be improved. Former campaign staff or family members of candidates should not be allowed to run or fund these supposedly independent PACs.”