GOP mega-donor backs Dem. for mayor, and other surprises from new campaign reports for mayor

The last major campaign finance reports from the city’s mayoral candidates contain at least one big surprise donation that could point to a change in momentum for one candidate.

City Councilor Louie Sanchez, a Democrat, accepted the maximum donation allowed from a company owned by Harvey Yates, former State Republican Party Chairman and one of the state’s largest conservative donors.

As councilor, Sanchez voted against Republican efforts to weaken the city’s immigrant protection ordinance and sponsored a bill setting up a permitting structure for sanctioned homeless encampments known as “Safe Outdoor Spaces.” But he has also allied with conservative members of the council against Keller-backed initiatives and he has been a harsh critic of the leadership of Police Chief Harold Medina.

Recent polling from the Albuquerque Journal found Sanchez and former U.S. Attorney Alex Uballez earning just 6% of the vote, behind Republican Darren White at 16%. White, a former KKOB radio host, is Mayor Tim Keller’s closest challenger and on track to earn a spot in a two-candidate runoff if no candidate earns a majority of the vote. White regularly used his radio show to criticize the state Republican Party and candidates backed by Yates.

The most recent report, filed Tuesday night, detailed campaign activity from Sept. 2 – Oct. 10. It is the last big finance report before voting begins for candidates who have been running since the spring. Limited early voting began last week and early voting sites open countywide this weekend.

The following information is from campaign finance reports filed with the City Clerk and is subject to amendment by candidates.

In order of cash on hand available to spend in the final weeks until the Nov. 4 Election Day:

Tim Keller

Mayor Tim Keller was the only mayoral candidate to qualify for taxpayer-funded public financing. His campaign has raised $759,575 to date, including $755,000 in public funds. His campaign has spent $476,324 so far, almost all of it during this period. A technical issue with the reporting portal on Tuesday night limited the ability to see Keller’s itemized expenditures, but public advertising reports show that the campaign began buying public advertising last month.

He enters the last weeks of the campaign with $280,824 in cash on hand.

Darren White

Former Sheriff Darren White raised $72,873, including $69,828 in new cash donations, during the reporting period, second only to Louie Sanchez. White’s largest new donors include $5,000 each from Rebecca Weh of Maestas Development Corporation and CSI Aviation, a air charter service and deportation contractor for the federal Department of Homeland Security, and Deborah Maestas, formerly of CSI Aviation and one of the President Trump’s “fake electors” from New Mexico in 2020. Accountant Mary Ann Okeefe and Mountain Run Partners, a real estate firm owned by The Downs Racino owner Paul Blanchard also donated $5,000 each to White.

His campaign has brought in $292,739 to date, spent $117,736 and has $154,136 in the bank.

Alex Uballez

Reports show that former U.S. Attorney Alex Uballez brought in $70,345, including $54,409 in new cash donations, during the reporting period*.

Consistent with Uballez’s fundraising history, the former prosecutor’s largest donors mostly came from the legal community, including Antonia Roybal-Mack and Darren Cordova, attorneys with the Roybal-Mack and Cordova law firm, for $5,777 each.

Uballez reported a $1,000 contribution from NM Voters First PAC, a political committee that has supported election reform.

His campaign has raised $273,061 total and spent $138,017, leaving $110,370 in the bank.

*Speaking of surprises, Uballez’s reports include an $11,000 in-kind donation of fundraising refreshments from an event. A campaign spokesperson reached by City Desk said that number was an error and would be corrected. Without that in-kind donation, Uballez earned about $60,000 in new funds this period.

Louie Sanchez

Westside City Councilor Louie Sanchez raised $76,144 in the latest reporting period. His campaign has brought in $307,392 to date, spent $237,977 and has $68,415 left in the bank.

Among the most notable donations to the Westside Democrat is a maximum-available donation, or “max-out” donation of $6,000 from Jalapeño Corporation, an oil and gas company owned by former State Republican Party Chairman and National Republican Party Committeeman Harvey Yates. Secretary of State records show that Jalapeño Corp. has donated more than $500,000 in New Mexico since 2021, almost exclusively to Republican candidates, party committees and PACs aligned with conservative causes.

Jewelry Market & Supply LLC, Day Financial Group, an insurance company run by Brad Day, and retired resident David Simmons also provided large donations to Sanchez.

Sanchez also received $4,155 from the campaign account of former APS Board Member Peggy Mueller-Aragon.

Mayling Armijo

Former Sandoval County deputy manager Mayling Armijo raised $29,143 in the latest reporting period. Her campaign has raised $139,535 overall, spent $78,901 and has $58,377 left in the bank.

Consistent with previous fundraising periods, Armijo’s largest donors include a family member at $5,500 and donors in the construction and building trades. Notably, Armijo received $1,000 from NM Voters First PAC, a political committee that has supported election reform, and $2,000 from ABC Political Action Committee, a lobbying group associated with builders and contractors.

Eddie Varela

Retired Fire Chief Eddie Varela raised just $1,656 in cash in the latest period, including a $460 refund from a vendor. He also received $4,845 in in-kind advertising donations from a handful of individual supporters. His campaign total stands at $44,362 raised and $13,927 spent, with $8,406 remaining.

Because of the Indigenous People’s Day holiday on Monday, the City Clerk’s Office extended the deadline for this report to Tuesday, Oct. 14.

Going forward candidates must file new campaign finance reports every Monday until the election. If no one wins more than 50% of the vote, a runoff in early December will follow, with a final disclosure due Dec. 4.