Voters reshape political power on APS board, approve $350 million bond

Voters reelected one incumbent and ousted another on the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education on Tuesday.

School Board President Danielle Gonzales lost her District 3 seat, earning 39% of the vote, according to early unofficial results reported as of 10:30 p.m. Her challenger, the Albuquerque Teachers Federation-endorsed Rebecca Betzen, earned 51% of the vote.

Teachers union-backed candidates now make up the majority of the board.

“Hopefully, we can support our teachers a little bit more than what we have done, because I know that listening to the board right now, several of them feel like they’re doing a really good job of supporting the teachers, but when I talk to the teachers, they don’t feel that way,” Betzen said.

Gonzales’ biggest ally on the board, fellow business community-backed member Courtney Jackson, a Republican, won her race, garnering 57% of the vote from her Northeast Heights constituents. Her challenger, union-backed Democrat Kristin Wood-Hegner, earned 43% of the vote.

“I am so grateful to all of the supporters who turned out, who voted, who rallied and got behind a campaign that was focused on students and on their outcomes,” Jackson said.

However, Jackson described the win as bittersweet because of Gonzales’ loss.

“I am certain that she will continue to fight for students and will continue to be an asset in other ways to our community,” Jackson said. “She is a true gift to Albuquerque and to New Mexico, and I am, I’m sad that she’s not going to be on the board.”

On the West Side, Joshua Martinez commandingly won his District 5 race with 68% of the vote, replacing business-backed Crystal Tapia-Romero, who announced she would not seek a second term and endorsed him back in May. He beat Brian Laurent Jr., who ran without the endorsement of either the chamber or the union and earned 32% of the vote.

“I’ve been involved on the West Side for a number of years, I’ve served in different capacities and different groups,” Martinez said. “My community knows me and trusts me, and (I’m) very appreciative of that, and again, just want to continue my service and serving our people.”

In District 6, where Josefina Domínguez was the only teachers union-backed candidate to prevail in 2021, the union hung on to the seat with candidate Warigia Bowman earning 61% of the vote. Her challenger, David Ams, earned 39% of the vote. Domínguez opted not to seek a second term.

“I’m very happy that we have a functioning majority on the board, and I’m looking forward to collaborating with my fellow board members,” Bowman said. “Let’s not exaggerate how powerful the board is, but I’m hoping we can get some traction on some key goals that we agree on.”

The other three board seats not up for reelection are occupied by Heather Benavidez in District 4 and Ronalda Tome-Warito in District 2. Both were backed by the teachers union and won their seats in 2023. District 1 board member Janelle Astorga also won her seat in that election cycle without endorsements from the chamber or teachers union, making her a swing voter.

“I congratulate Rebecca Betzen, Joshua Martinez, Margaret ‘Warigia’ Bowman and Courtney Jackson on their election to the Board of Education,” APS Superintendent Gabriella Blakey said in a statement. “I am eager to collaborate with them to improve outcomes for all our students. To all the candidates who ran, I extend my sincere gratitude for their dedication to public education and the passionate campaigns they ran.”

APS bond

Voters within APS boundaries also voted to approve a $350 million bond that looks to modernize the cooling units at 20 campuses, build a center that would serve special needs students on the West Side and builds a new facility to teach students careers in trade jobs like plumbing, welding and carpentry.

The bond passed with support from 75% of voters. In recent years, most bonds the district puts on the ballot have passed.

“We are incredibly grateful to voters for approving our General Obligation Bond,” Blakey wrote. “On behalf of our students and staff, I want to thank everyone who voted and everyone who helped us get the word out about what this important capital election means for our schools and our kids.”

CNM board

Running unopposed, Thomas Swisstack, the incumbent for the Central New Mexico Community College board, held on to his District 3 seat with 100% of the vote.

Fellow incumbent Nancy Baca won her race with 74% of the vote against challenger Ken Pascoe who earned 26% of the vote for the District 5 seat.

In District 7 incumbent Robert Schoenfelder also held on to his seat with his challenger Ronald Dauk earning 42% of the vote to Schoenfelder’s 58%.

And a fresh face will serve on the board for New Mexico’s largest community college, with Elizabeth Alarid earning 68% of the vote to replace outgoing District 1 representative Charles Ofelt. Randal Peters earned 32% of the vote.