Santa Fe mayor leading in race for cash

Sep. 24—An early look at the first campaign finance reports reveals a lopsided money race in Santa Fe's mayoral election, with incumbent Mayor Alan Webber far outpacing his two challengers.

Webber raised $360,595 — shattering the $315,000 fundraising record his campaign set in 2018 — and spent close to $210,000, leaving about $151,000 cash on hand, according to campaign finance summaries filed Thursday and provided by City Clerk Kristine Bustos-Mihelcic.

The summaries do not provide a detailed accounting of donors and expenditures, but Sascha Anderson, Webber's campaign spokeswoman, wrote in an email the campaign netted 673 contributions from local donors.

"Our campaign is gratified by the incredible support that has poured in for Mayor Webber," Anderson wrote. "We know that this momentum will carry us through Election Day."

Anderson wrote in the email Webber's expenses so far largely have been for staffing and advertising.

City Councilor JoAnne Vigil Coppler, arguably Webber's closest rival in the race, raised $112,297, but her campaign reported she has spent just $14,026 since joining the race March 28.

Expenses are supposed to be reported in the period in which they are paid.

Despite trailing significantly behind Webber, Vigil Coppler's campaign lauded the contributions in an email to supporters Thursday afternoon.

"We aren't done yet and now we have the means to run a successful campaign," the email read.

Trailing even further behind is Alexis Martinez Johnson, a former Republican congressional candidate, who has raised $10,216.

Of that, $5,356 has been spent since July 6, according to finance documents.

Martinez Johnson criticized the lofty fundraising numbers of the other two candidates in the nonpartisan race, who both are Democrats.

"We are counting on a lot of grassroots efforts," Martinez Johnson said. "But I think the amount of money that is put into these races are so extreme that other voices are limited."

Along with the mayoral election, nine candidates are seeking a spot on the City Council.

Councilor Signe Lindell is the money leader in her four-way District 1 race, after raising $77,649 and spending nearly $21,000 since Jan. 1.

"I'm honored that so many people believe in all the work I have done in the past seven years and that I continue to move District 1 and Santa Fe forward," Lindell said in a text message.

Lindell is trailed by three challengers.

Real estate broker Roger Carson and businessman Joe Hoback reported $8,075 and $7,715 in their war chests, respectively. However, those figures are bolstered by loans — $1,000 for Hoback and $8,000 for Carson.

Local business owner and Planning Commissioner Brian Gutierrez, the fourth candidate in the race, used public financing and reported $15,000.

Councilor Roman "Tiger" Abeyta, the incumbent in the District 3 race, was able to generate about $27,000 for his campaign as of Jan. 1, but has reported just $149 in spending.

His challenger, Planning Commissioner Lee Garcia, qualified for public financing at $15,000, as did Santa Fe Public Schools Education Director Amanda Chavez, who is running for an open District 4 seat against Rebecca Romero.

The District 4 seat is held by Vigil Coppler, who will vacate the seat no matter the result of the mayoral election.

Romero fell just short of the public financing threshold — candidates must provide 150 donations of $5 each to qualify — and instead raised $2,750 in private funding as of June 9. She has spent $1,474 so far.

District 2 Councilor Carol Romero-Wirth, the only incumbent without a challenger, reported just $1,500 in public financing, $150 of which was reported as expenditures.

Early voting begins Oct. 5 for the Nov. 2 election.