The political action committee for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents some 3,500 city workers in Albuquerque, has endorsed Mayor Martin Chávez in his bid for re-election.
It’s the first time AFSCME has endorsed Chávez in a mayoral race, though the union did endorse the Democrat in his unsuccessful bid for governor in 1998 over Republican Gary Johnson.
The union and mayor have often been at odds in the past. Last year, Andrew Padilla, president of AFSCME Council 18, hammered Chávez for threatening to veto a binding arbitration bill that had been approved by the city council. A year earlier, when he was running for U.S. Senate, Chávez voiced support for such a proposal.
After Padilla made a public stink by calling the veto threat a “punch in the gut to labor,” the mayor proceeded to veto the bill.
But that was months ago, and incumbents usually win elections. The AFSCME endorsement will be seen by many as a practical move that’s indicative of how its members think the election is going to turn out.
Padilla had nothing but praise for the mayor Thursday night in an interview. In addition to confirming that the AFSCME PAC, which he chairs, endorsed Chávez on Wednesday, Padilla said the mayor and council share credit for the fact that the city hasn’t had to lay off employees during the current recession.
And Padilla had this to say:
“The mayor is a very viable candidate, and it’s a new day. We’re hoping to work with the administration and do some good things for the city of Albuquerque and the public, and also continue our work with the city council,” he said. “We’ve been working with the city council, and if we can work with the mayor’s office, then it’s going to benefit the public and the employees.”
Chávez is being challenged by Richard “R.J.” Berry, a two-term Republican state representative, and Richard Romero, the former Democratic leader of the New Mexico Senate. The election is October 6.