疯客直播

That includes Councilor Michael Garcia, who has become Mayor Alan Webber鈥檚 most vocal critic on the dais. Elected to a second term representing District 2 last year, Garcia has been the subject of widespread speculation about whether he has higher political ambitions.

鈥淚 do think Councilor Garcia is someone to watch,鈥� said Joe Monahan, who writes a popular blog about New Mexico politics. 鈥淗e鈥檚 positioned himself somewhat as the anti-Webber candidate.鈥�

Monahan speculated about whether Garcia would run following a town hall on public safety he hosted at the Genoveva Chavez Convention Center last month. Following a series of violent incidents in 疯客直播 Fe, the town hall stretched past two hours as people shared their frustrations with crime, homelessness, drug use and other issues.

鈥淚 am seriously considering running to be the next mayor of our great and beautiful city,鈥� Garcia wrote in a statement Wednesday. 鈥淏efore any decision is made, I will take the necessary time needed to consult with my family.鈥�

So far, just one person has said they definitively intend to run: Tarin Nix, who held a fundraiser last Sunday to launch her new organization, dubbed Fix Our City Different.

A longtime political consultant who has worked with politicians including state Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, former city councilor Patti Bushee and state Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard, Nix currently serves as Garcia Richard鈥檚 deputy commissioner of public affairs.

Nix said Fix Our City Different is a precursor to her mayoral campaign because people in 疯客直播 Fe are 鈥渘ot ready to hear big ideas鈥� since they have lost trust in government.

鈥淲hile I do hope and intend to run, this is the start of an organization that needs to build a movement to create the change necessary to elect a mayor that can then go in and do big things,鈥� she said.

The fundraiser at the Inn and Spa at Loretto took place just hours after a police shooting near the Plaza, which canceled the remainder of Fiesta de 疯客直播 Fe. About 50 people attended, including Councilors Garcia and Pilar Faulkner and County Commissioners Anna Hansen and Justin Greene.

Monahan said many people are likely waiting to see what Webber decides to do but that after the November election more people are likely to start declaring.

鈥淚f Webber gets in, he has the fundraising ability, but he doesn鈥檛 have the popularity,鈥� Monahan said.

Webber鈥檚 currently level of popularity was on display at last month鈥檚 Burning of Zozobra, where he was booed so loudly after being introduced it was hard to hear his remarks.

If he did run again, the former owner of Fast Company magazine would almost certainly have more money than any other candidate in the race. He raised almost $500,000 last cycle, a record for the office.

He was first elected in 2018, beating out four other candidates in the city鈥檚 first-ever ranked-choice voting mayoral election. He was reelected in 2021, winning on the first ballot over City Councilor JoAnne Vigil Coppler and long-shot contestant Alexis Martinez Johnson.

Webber declined to comment Wednesday on his future plans, saying his focus on on the current election 鈥渁t all levels.鈥�

鈥淲e should put all our energy and drive into this election,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what matters to me.鈥�

Vigil Coppler said she has not ruled out the possibility of another run and that the idea has been crossing her mind more and more.

鈥淭hings have not changed in terms of my experience and my qualifications,鈥� she said.

Other former Webber challengers, including Joseph Maestas and Kate Noble, said they have no plans to run.

鈥淵ou can rule me out,鈥� Maestas said.

One potential candidate is Caryn Fiorina, who said she is exploring the possibility of running in a Friday interview.

鈥淚 was born and raised here in 疯客直播 Fe and I don鈥檛 recognize the city anymore with some of the things that are happening,鈥� said the now-retired longtime city employee and wife of late municipal judge Tom Fiorina.

Fiorina worked for many years in the city鈥檚 information technology department and retired as director of the utility billing department. She said she feels her background would give her valuable experience. An enrolled member of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Fiorina has Kiowa, Taos Pueblo and Spanish heritage and said she鈥檚 been dismayed by the conflict over the Soldiers鈥� Monument.

鈥淲hat has happened with allowing the destruction of that is really heartbreaking,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t does need to be rebuilt, maybe with different language.鈥�

Along with many others, she cited crime and homelessness as two of the biggest issues facing the city.

Fiorina said she will make that call by the end of the calendar year if she does decide to run.

鈥淚 feel 疯客直播 Fe needs some strong leadership and change,鈥� she said.

Several local politicians said they were not pursuing the role.

Hansen, whose term expires at the end of the year, said she plans to 鈥渆njoy life鈥� afterwards.

鈥淚鈥檓 only going to do things I love,鈥� she said at Nix鈥檚 fundraiser. She will remain active on several boards but said she has no plans to run for another office after her unsuccessful bid for a state Senate seat earlier this year.

鈥淚鈥檓 shaking my head no,鈥� state Rep. Andrea Romero, D-疯客直播 Fe, said during a Friday phone call.

Joe Schepps, owner of the Inn on the Alameda and a frequent critic of Webber, said many people have asked him if he鈥檚 considering running due to his outspokenness, but 鈥淚鈥檓 76, and I just don鈥檛 want to do it.鈥�

Schepps said he reached out to ask Zozobra event chairman Ray Sandoval if he would run, and Sandoval said he wasn鈥檛 interested either. (Sandoval confirmed Schepps鈥� account.)

Schepps said he鈥檚 frustrated with the current slate of city councilors, but his interest was piqued by Michael Garcia鈥檚 recent town hall on public safety.

鈥淗e鈥檚 certainly is taking the initiative in listening to what鈥檚 on people鈥檚 minds,鈥� he said.

If Webber announces plans to run again, Schepps said there will be a groundswell of interest in the mayoral race.

鈥淚 know a lot of people would do anything not to give him a third term,鈥� he said.