Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales’ bid to become Albuquerque’s next mayor has received a slew of endorsements from some unlikely sources.
The Piñon Post reported that high-profile Republican current and former public officials have endorsed Gonzales, a Democrat.
“Sheriff Manny Gonzales is a strong fiscal conservative who will help us rein in wasteful government spending and ensure we focus government spending on basic services," Albuquerque City Councilor Trudy Jones, a Republican, wrote according to a twitter endorsement on Gonzales' twitter page. "Sheriff Gonzales will make fighting crime and homelessness a top priority. I enthusiastically endorse Manny Gonzales for Mayor.”
Gonzales’ mayoral campaign also received the blessings of former state Auditor Wayne Johnson and former Secretary of State Brad Winter, both Republicans.
Gonzales is part of a four-way race that includes incumbent Tim Keller and fellow challengers Eddy Aragon and Patrick Ben Sais. He’s the lone law enforcement official and veteran in the contest for Albuquerque’s top office, the Piñon Post reported.
According to the city’s election website, Gonzales’ campaign is privately financed.
He had already raised $100,000 after Sept. 17, after his failed legal bid to obtain campaign funds from the city, the publication reported.