What initially looked like a thrilling election night in Albuquerque ended with a whimper less than an hour after polls closed when mayoral candidate Darren White took the podium at his watch party and broke the news to the large crowd of supporters that he had just called Mayor Tim Keller to congratulate him on winning an unprecedented third term leading the Duke City.
As the throng of White allies groaned in disappointment, the former Bernalillo County Sheriff expressed disappointment but respect for the voters’ choice. He acknowledged the challenges, including limited resources and a small team, and expressed gratitude to family, friends and volunteers who supported the campaign.
White remains hopeful despite the loss, stressing the need to continue fighting for a better Albuquerque.
White spoke with City Desk ABQ Tuesday morning, saying partisan loyalty proved insurmountable in his bid to unseat Keller.
“Democrats voted for Democrats,” White told City Desk the morning after his 58%-41% loss. “There was no crossover, which we absolutely needed.”
White knew the math was daunting from the start.
“I think it’s 48% Democrat, 29% Republican. We knew it was going to be tough, and we knew that we had to have a significant crossover vote,” White said. “Those are the times that we’re in. We’re very, very tribal when it comes to politics now, and it doesn’t matter who the candidate is or why they’re running, we tend to now back our brand.”
White called Keller while the incumbent was leaving his house for his victory party Tuesday night. The conversation was cordial, he said, consistent with their interactions throughout the campaign despite spirited debates.
“I wished him well and congratulated him,” White said. “He said the same thing. It was a hard-fought race.”
Campaign focused on crime, homelessness
White centered his campaign on public safety issues, arguing Albuquerque needed new leadership to address rising crime and visible homelessness. As a former two-term sheriff who also served as the city’s chief public safety officer from 2009 to 2011, White emphasized his law enforcement background throughout the race.
“We were able to really show some of the things that really need work,” White said of his campaign’s focus on crime and homelessness. “Our hope is that that message didn’t go unheard.”
Despite the loss, White said he remains optimistic about Albuquerque’s future under Keller’s continued leadership.
“I sit here right now on the day after, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s the president or the mayor, I always want them to succeed, because if they do, then it’s good for everybody,” he said.
Retirement ahead
After 35 years in politics and law enforcement, White said he’s returning to retirement. He previously served as New Mexico’s Public Safety Secretary under Gov. Gary Johnson and worked as a sergeant with the Albuquerque Police Department after beginning his career with the Houston Police Department. He’s also a veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division.
“I’ve been doing this a long time,” White said. “I didn’t crawl up in the fetal position last night and cry.”
White said he hopes Keller’s administration will shift focus to the issues he campaigned on.
“I hope that the focus changes, and I hope it shows by the city being safer and cleaner and not being overrun by homeless,” he said. “My hope would be that more emphasis is placed on those issues that we talked about, and that there’s improvement, because we all want that.”
As for changing the partisan divide that defined the race, White offered little optimism.
“I don’t know if anything is going to change it,” he said. “It’s just the reality of politics in 2025.”
Keller will be sworn in Jan. 1 for a four-year term, becoming the first Albuquerque mayor to win three consecutive terms since the city adopted its current mayoral system in the mid-1970s.
White said his campaign was “outspent three to one” overall but praised the hundreds of volunteers who supported his effort. (Keller was the only candidate to qualify for public financing, ultimately receiving more than $1 million in public dollars to fund his campaign).
“I was touched by the outpouring of support,” he said. “Everybody was just great, disappointed absolutely, but there were no regrets because we ran a good campaign.”