Twelve candidates made the ballot for four city council seats in the Albuquerque municipal election, which will be held Nov. 7. Albuquerque attorney and political commentator Pete Dinelli believes that this election could be very impactful on the political future of the city.
“The municipal election is on Nov. 7, almost a full four months from now, with a very hot summer in between and anything can and likely will happen with all four races being hotly contested, especially in District 6 where five candidates are running to replace the Progressive Democrat Pat Davis who is not seeking another term,” Dinelli said. “The Nov. 7 municipal election could remake the council and perhaps there will be a shift in numbers from the current five Democrats' control to a Republican control city council or at least a conservative shift to challenge Mayor Keller’s progressive agenda.”
Candidates for the open city council seats are as follows: Joaquin Baca, Loretta Ann Naranjo Lopez and Moises A. Gonzalez in District 2; Brook Bassan and Abby Christine Foster in District 4; Abel Otero, Jeff Hoehn, Joseph Pitluck Aguirre, Kristin Greene and Nichole Rogers in District 6; and Daniel Champine and Idalia Lechuga-Tena in District 8, according to the city's website.
According to Dinelli’s blog, District 2 covers primarily downtown, Oldtown, parts of the North Valley and the west side. Baca and Lopez are running as Democrats, and Gonzalez is running as an Independent.
Baca was first elected to the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District in 2017 and helped form the ABQCore Downtown Neighborhood Association in 2021, his website states.
Lopez is a retired city planner and is currently a member of the New Mexico Public Employees Retirement Association Board. She was employed by the city of Albuquerque for 25 years and was in the City Planning Department for 15 years, according to her website.
Gonzalez was commissioner for the Environmental Planning Commission until 2017 and is currently involved in a variety of community roles, including serving on the Complete Streets Ordinance Committee and is the vice president of the Huning Highland Neighborhood Association, his website states.
According to Dinelli’s blog, District 4 covers the Northeast Heights area, and the two candidates are Republican Brook Bassan, a stay-at-home mom and incumbent city councilor, and Democrat Abby Foster, who is a private attorney. Foster will be a privately financed candidate.
In District 6, which covers Nob Hill and the International District, there are five candidates who qualified, making this the most contested district up for election in November. Four of the candidates, Abel Otero, Kristin Green, Jeff Hoehn and Nichole Rogers, are Democrats, while Joseph Pitluck Aguirre is running as an Independent candidate.
Otero is a barbershop owner who was previously a Grant Coordinator for Habitat for Humanity and stated that “this community deserves leadership with the lived experiences that reflect our major challenges and the vision to solve them,” his website states.
Green has been involved with various community organizations such as serving as a board member for the Elder Homestead Neighborhood Association as the Homelessness Solutions Chair and the Neighborhood Beautification Coordinator, according to her website
Hoehn is the executive director of the nonprofit organization Cuidando Los Niños, amongst other similar roles in other organizations. He is also the board president of the Nob Hill Neighborhood Association, his website states.
Rogers has had several positions working in the fields of healthcare, education and government. She most recently served as African-American Community & Business Liaison with the city, her website states.
Aguirre is a dentist and entrepreneur who is running primarily on the issues of fighting crime, helping the homeless, helping small businesses, expanding access to affordable healthcare and expanding STEM education for underserved communities, according to his website.
District 8 covers the areas of the Northeast Heights and Foothills. The two candidates are Republican Dan Champine, a former police officer and active mortgage lender, and Democrat Idalia Lechuga-Tena, a former state representative and current consultant.