ABQ mayor makes gubernatorial campaign stop in LC

Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez wants people to know Lt. Gov. Diane Denish’s bid to be the next governor isn’t a done deal.

The mayor was in Las Cruces today to campaign for the 2010 gubernatorial race. He’s not saying he’s officially running, but Denish declared her intent to run shortly after the November 2006 election, which forced Chávez to form a committee and begin raising funds to keep up.

With Denish as his running mate, Chávez ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1998.

“I think I have so much to offer now, and I’m a very different candidate than I was a decade ago,” the 55-year-old Chávez said in an interview that went back and forth between serious conversation and jokes. “I have less hair and thicker skin.”

He was accompanied by state Rep. Joni Gutierrez, D-Las Cruces, who has already announced her support for Chávez’s potential gubernatorial bid and is his point person in Doña Ana County.

“I’m the eye candy,” she told me.

Chávez was on the second of four visits to Las Cruces he’ll make this month. He attended a private reception at Gutierrez’s home Monday evening and spoke to the rotary club today.

He was in town on April 5 to speak at a meeting of the county Democratic Party. He’ll be back on Saturday to speak to the League of United Latin American Citizens and again on April 28 to attend the annual convention of the state Democratic Party.

Chávez said he isn’t any closer to deciding whether he’ll actually run for governor in 2010. With the 2008 general election still 19 months away, there is a lot of uncertainty.

But, Chávez said, there are only three jobs he’s interested in: Albuquerque mayor, governor or U.S. Senator. He told me he won’t run against U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., in 2008. He recently had a poll done and, despite the scandal surrounding the senator’s involvement in the firing of former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias, his support is still greater than 50 percent among Democrats.

“He’s not going to be defeated,” Chávez said.

He said won’t run against U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., because the House has become a “vile place” and he’s not interested in “getting beaten up every two years.” But he suggested that Denish would be a strong candidate for the position in 2008.

Focusing on being a good mayor

Chávez said that, at this point, he’s focused on doing a good job as mayor and remaining a viable candidate for future offices. He also plans to travel around the state to meet with people about his potential candidacy. During our interview, he met briefly with the chair of the Sierra County Democratic Party.

“I intend to visit every county,” Chávez told me. “I’ve already done it before.”

Since his last run for governor, Chávez said, he has become a stronger candidate by turning Albuquerque into a vibrant city.

“We’re on the right end of all the lists right now, and that’s not by accident,” he said.

Chávez had a lot of praise for Gutierrez and suggested she might make the move to Santa Fe to hold a statewide office. Gutierrez said she’s not interested, though she’s been approached about land commissioner.

“She’d make a great lieutenant governor,” Chávez said.

Gutierrez shook her head.

“We’d look too much like Diane and Bill Richardson,” she said.

Even though it’s early in the race, Gutierrez said she has no problem announcing her support for Chávez.

“I’m not wishy-washy,” she said. “I think he’s the best candidate. I have watched him with Albuquerque and I’m just so amazed at what a great city can be. This mayor is doing it.”