Mayor Tim Keller officially announced Thursday that he is running for a third term as Mayor of Albuquerque.
“At City Hall, we are relentless problem solvers, tackling Albuquerque’s toughest challenges head-on every day,” Keller wrote in a statement. “We hear your concerns about long-standing local issues, compounded by the turmoil from Washington, D.C. That’s why now, more than ever, Albuquerque needs an experienced fighter who will protect its future — and that’s why I’m running for reelection.”
Keller wrote that he will continue to focus on crime reduction, safety from gun violence, homelessness, visionary revitalization and ensuring families have financial help and housing.
“Albuquerque has fought too hard for progress, we can’t let anyone take that away from us,” Keller wrote. “We must continue to fight to make our city the place we know it can be — for all our families.”
Keller plans on using public financing to fund his campaign. His announcement comes after Darren White — former Bernalillo County sheriff, state cabinet secretary and one of Keller’s most vocal critics — announced last week that he would run for mayor.
There are three other candidates who have filed to run for mayor — Mayling Armijo, Eddie Varela and Patrick Sais. Armijo, a former county economic development manager, was the first to announce a run for mayor and plans to use private financing to fund her campaign.
While he hasn’t officially made an announcement, Albuquerque City Councilor Louie Sanchez said he is exploring the idea of a mayoral run. Sanchez formerly served as an officer, detective and sergeant with the Albuquerque Police Department and has also been a vocal critic of Keller and APD Chief Harold Medina.