Republican Challenger Upsets Three-Term Mayor Chavez; No Runoff Needed (Albuquerque)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | October 7, 2009 | Sean Olson

[CedarDave]

State Rep. Richard Berry scored an impressive victory Tuesday with an outright win over three-term incumbent Martin Chávez to become Albuquerque's next mayor.

"We had a message that resonated with voters in Albuquerque, and we worked hard," said Berry, a general contractor and two-term Republican state representative who campaigned as a "common-sense" business owner with conservative themes.

...Berry maintained a 5 percentage point or better lead over Chávez throughout the night and finished above the 40 percent threshold needed to avoid a runoff election next month. Richard Romero, the third candidate in the race, was trailing, with about 21 percent.

... Berry will become the first Republican mayor elected in Albuquerque since ... 1981, joining a City Council that now holds a 5-to-4 Republican majority. The new mayor takes over Dec. 1 for a four-year term.

The Albuquerque mayoral election is nonpartisan, but party affiliations clearly played a role. Chávez, a moderate if not a conservative Democrat, appeared to split Democratic votes with Romero, a former Democratic state senator.

Berry rounded up Republicans and was competitive even in Democratic-leaning areas. ... Journal pollster Brian Sanderoff said "He performed well in the Northeast Heights and in traditional Chávez areas on the West Side."

Romero said his campaign was an uphill road. "Going against an incumbent machine is always tough," Romero said. ... "(Berry) really surprised a lot of us with strength in some Democratic districts," Romero said.

Albuquerque voters were required to show photo ID for the first time this election, but poll workers across the city reported few problems or complaints.

"I think it's a great idea," said Liz Candelaria, a voter at Manzano High School. "You have a lot of people coming in and you don't know if they're registered voters. ..."

[CedarDave]

Berry was a clear winner last night with 43% of the vote. Now maybe he can get rid of that "sanctuary city" label which was bandied about after an illegal alien and career criminal shot and killed a Denny's waitress during an armed robbery earlier this year. He previously committed crimes but the policy was not to inquire about his immigration status. He was eventually found out and deported but came back again to commit crimes.

[CedarDave]

PING! to the NM list.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Congratulations Dave! I follow New Mexico politics (KOB) and to me, this is BIG! Wow! Way to go, New Mexico!

[WellyP]

ACORN and La RAZA will not be happy! Crush them!

[SMARTY]

Hello??? Can you hear us now?

[novemberslady]

bkmk

[Reagan69]

The TREND begins !!!

[Above My Pay Grade]

“Albuquerque voters were required to show photo ID for the first time this election,”

A devasting blow to the Democrat base of illegals, the deceased and Acorn imposters.

[Navy Patriot]

Richard Berry scored an impressive victory Tuesday with an outright win over three-term incumbent Martin Chávez to become Albuquerque's next mayor.

Azatlan is saddened.

[shove_it]

Thanx for the ping. Good news! When will you vote that crook Richardson out?

[ProudFossil]

There is an even more significance to this Republican victory. In the last general election the state of New Mexico lost every election for Congress to Democrats. The state went completely to a Democratic Congressional delegation. Now all of a sudden, a Democratic incumbent mayor (and a long time contending Democratic politician) get handily beaten by an upstart Republican. Granted Berry had been in the state Legislature but Romero was the President of that legislature at one time and had been a candidate for Congress twice. Chavez had so much power he was able to pull a Bloomberg and have a judge overrulte term limits so he could run again.

I just hope this is an indication that the great zero has screwed up the Dimocrats in this country. The New Jersey and Virginia elections next month will be the defining statement on the possible demise of the extreme leftist idiots in Washington. Here is hoping.

[BeckB]

I wish we could get photo ID in Texas. It would reduce some of the voter fraud.

[greyfoxx39]

A devasting blow to the Democrat base of illegals, the deceased and Acorn imposters.

Unfortunately NM Drivers' licenses are available with no proof of citizenship. Thank Bill Richardson and the dem legislature for that.

[paddles]

Apart from the common sense conservative pitch was there any other hint at what his “message” was?

[SMARTY]

I sure hope so! maybe that is what it takes to wake up the American Rip Van Winkle!!

[Boiling Pots]

Any other good news from yesterdays elections? In my town, the wackos won out over the conservatives for city council.

[FrankR]

"Unfortunately NM Drivers' licenses are available with no proof of citizenship"

Some states give out wallet-sized copies of birth certificates...I would like to see all drivers' licenses laminated with the license on one side, and the birth certificate on the other, and....

....oops, I forgot, Zero wouldn't be able to drive.

[pissant]

Good

[RetiredArmy]

Hope this is the first strike against the evil empire of liberals.

[leapfrog0202]

Hello??? Can you hear us now?
___________________________________________________

I bet some folks will sit up and pay attention! If they don’t they are bigger idiots than I thought.