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Saturday, October 1, 2005

Chávez Tops $1.1M in Race to Stay Mayor

By Jim Ludwick
Journal Staff Writer
    Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez has raised more than $1.1 million for his re-election effort.
    That's more than four times as much as City Councilor Eric Griego, who has reported monetary contributions totaling nearly $265,000.
    And it is roughly $1 million ahead of Council President Brad Winter, who has raised $154,000 in his bid to unseat Chávez.
    It also vaults him ahead of the top fundraiser in the last mayoral election, Rick Homans. Homans spent about $600,000— including money and the value of donated goods and services.
    "It's like David and Goliath," said Winter. "I was hoping to raise enough money for the biggest slingshot I could get, and that's what I'm doing."
    Griego said Chávez has "more money than anyone would ever need. It begs the question of whether the city is for sale."
    "He's one hell of a fund-raiser," said David Steele, the other candidate in the four-person mayoral race. Steele has raised about $66,000.
    "It's tough to beat anyone with a million dollars," Steele said.
    The Chávez campaign issued a statement Friday saying it's "overwhelmed by the positive response and support we have received from all over the community. We will continue running our positive campaign, all the way to victory."
    The contribution figures were revealed in campaign finance reports filed Friday.
    Chávez has been leading in the polls throughout the campaign. He won his current term in 2001. He had previously been elected mayor in 1993, but when that term ended, he ran unsuccessfully for governor instead of seeking re-election.
    At this point in the 2001 campaign, Chávez had raised about $250,000, less than Griego's current figure. He ended up with about $400,000 in 2001.
    Another report is due next week.
    No Albuquerque mayor has been elected to two consecutive terms under the City Charter system that began in 1974, although it previously happened many times during the city's history.
   
Contributions of $1,000 and higher
   
Martin Chávez
    Hale, Bruce $4,808
    Wilson, Thomas $4,808
    New Mexico RPAC $4,800
    McClintic, Jim $4,660
    Real Estate Limited Partnership $4,600
    Grantland Investments, Inc. $4,500
    Hunt Uptown, LLC $4,500
    Saiz, Larry P. $4,500
    Southwest Block $4,500
    Sun Country Redi Mix $4,500
    Akal Security, Inc. $4,000
    Anderson, Patty $4,000
    Hunt, W.L. or Gayle or Holcombe, Nena Q. $4,000
    Christensen, William Md $3,600
    Ch2m Hill $3,500
    New Mexico Construction Concepts $3,500
    Ratner, Albert B. $3,500
    Ratner, Brian $3,000
    Salzberg-Ratner, Deborah $3,000
    Branch, Michael $2,500
    Mayhew, Ross $2,500
    Ratner, Charles $2,500
    Ratner, James $2,500
    Ratner, Ronald $2,500
    Competitive Benefits Administrators $2,300
    Abraham, Steve J. $2,000
    Revenue Collection Bureau, Inc. $2,000
    Statewide Homes, Llc $2,000
    H. Mueller Properties $1,500
    Lopez, Owen, M. PC $1,500
    Trujillo Rodriguez & Richards, LLC $1,500
    Uasnm Inc. $1,500
    Lang, Janet $1,250
    Mason, Diane $1,250
    Anderson, Stephanie P. $1,000
    CBR Enterprises, Inc. $1,000
    Classic Concepts, Inc. $1,000
    El Charritos Mexican Restaurant $1,000
    French Steward, Chester $1,000
    Gooden, Clayton $1,000
    Gutierrez Landscape Associates, P.C. $1,000
    Jenkins, Thomas C. $1,000
    K-Ram Inc. $1,000
    Kassam, Tazim $1,000
    Koch, James $1,000
    Korn, Nathan $1,000
    Lang, Barry $1,000
    McCorkle, Sherman $1,000
    Melloy Brothers Enterprises, Inc. $1,000
    Napa Albuquerque Distribution Center $1,000
    New Mexico Bankers Association $1,000
    Paternoster, Stephen D. $1,000
    Peacock, Deborah $1,000
    Rainosek, Larry $1,000
    Ramo, Barry W. M.D. $1,000
    Saiz, Paul $1,000
    Santistevan, Alfredo $1,000
    Sian, Harminder S. $1,000
    The Everest Group, Inc. $1,000
    Tinley, David M. $1,000
    Villa De Capo $1,000
    Wendel, Gerald C/O Huntington Development Group $1,000
    West, Bruce $1,000
   
Brad Winter
    Murphy, Mark B $4,800
    Kaufman Fire Protection Systems Inc. $2,800
    Jps, LLC $2,000
    Kaufman, Don $2,000
    Canberra Aquila, Inc $1,000
    NM Bankers Association $1,000
   
Eric Griego
    Baca, Herman $2,000
    Bill T. Tinker Attorney at Law $1,000
    CH2M Hill $1,000
    MacPherson, Herb $1,000
    Meaders, Michelle $1,000
    Pueblo of Sandia $1,000