Eddie Varela

This candidate is participating in a 2025 battleground election. Click here to read more about that election.

Eddie Varela

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Nonpartisan

Candidate, Mayor of Albuquerque

Elections and appointments

Next election

November 4, 2025

Contact

Campaign website

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Eddie Varela is running for election for Mayor of Albuquerque in New Mexico. Varela is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.^[source]

2025 battleground election

See also: Mayoral election in Albuquerque, New Mexico (2025)

Ballotpedia identified the Nov. 4, 2025, general election as a battleground election. The summary below is from our coverage of this election, found here.

Seven candidates are running in the general election for mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico, on November 4, 2025. If no candidate receives a majority, the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff on December 9, 2025. The mayor serves a four-year term, and there are no term limits.

Incumbent Tim Keller and challengers Mayling Armijo, Daniel Chavez, Louie Sanchez, Alexander Uballez, and Darren White lead in media coverage and fundraising ahead of the election.

KOAT's Brian Sanderoff said, "This race will come down to a referendum on the mayor. Will people think it's time for a change, or will people think that the mayor has progressed enough that it's worth giving him a third [term]?" The challengers are positioning themselves against Keller on issues like homelessness and crime.

Keller, who was first elected mayor in 2017, is running on his record. According to his campaign website, "Tim Keller is running for reelection for two clear reasons. First, he’s done the real work to repair decades-long challenges holding our city back. ... Second, he’s running to stand up to Trump’s policies and the harmful cuts that threaten our families and safety." In an August 2025 state of the city address, Keller said, "For the first time in a long time, we are seeing what is working and now is no time to abandon the progress that we've made."

Armijo is a U.S. Navy veteran and executive director of a small business development company. She was Sandoval County deputy manager and Bernalillo County director of economic development. Armijo said, "My vision for Albuquerque is grounded in safer neighborhoods, stronger small businesses, and a city government that actually delivers for the people who live here."

Chavez is the president of Parking Company of America, a business that oversees many Albuquerque parking lots. Chavez stated on his campaign website, "As a local business owner, I’ve seen how strong businesses build strong communities — and how fast that can fall apart without real leadership. ... As Mayor, I’ll do what it takes to turn a bleak future into a better one — for all of us."

Sanchez is a city councilor, business owner, and retired police officer. His campaign website describes his vision as "Focused on Safer Communities, a Stronger Economy, and Real Homelessness Solutions—with a commitment to bold, collaborative leadership that delivers results."

Uballez served as a U.S. attorney during President Joe Biden's (D) administration. He resigned at President Donald Trump's (R) request in February 2025. Uballez said, "While we are making the streets safe, we need to get out of the way of development so that people and [small] businesses, entertainment venues, restaurants, bars and affordable housing for people to live near all of those things can exist here in Albuquerque so we can keep people here, so we can draw people here."

White was head of the New Mexico State Police and sheriff of Bernalillo County. On his campaign website, White said, "I have a proven record of fighting crime, protecting our communities, and upholding law and order. I’ll unshackle the police, end Mayor Keller’s failed sanctuary policies, clean up homeless encampments, and restore safety to Albuquerque’s streets, parks, and businesses while cutting government waste and making our city a place where families and businesses can thrive again."

While the position is officially nonpartisan, local media reported some candidates' party affiliations, and other candidates have stated their own party affiliation or political philosophy. Keller, Armijo, Sanchez, and Uballez are affiliated with the Democratic Party, and White called himself a fiscal conservative. Chavez' party affiliation was not reported.

Keller was the only candidate who qualified for public financing. Keller received $734,000 in taxpayer dollars toward his campaign after securing at least 3,779 five-dollar donations. According to the city's campaign finance system, as of September 29, 2025, Keller had raised $23,000 apart from public financing, Sanchez had raised $224,000, White had raised $216,000, Uballez had raised $203,000, Chavez had raised $114,000, and Armijo had raised $110,000. Eddie Varela, who had raised $38,000, is also running.

These numbers do not account for spending from satellite groups known as measure finance committees. As of September 29, a measure finance committee supporting Keller's re-election had raised $155,000, and a measure finance committee supporting Armijo had raised $145,000.

The filing deadline for publicly financed candidates was July 7, 2025, and the filing deadline for privately financed candidates was August 26, 2025. The write-in filing deadline was September 2, 2025.

Elections

2025

See also: Mayoral election in Albuquerque, New Mexico (2025)

General election

The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.

General election for Mayor of Albuquerque

The following candidates are running in the general election for Mayor of Albuquerque on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
		Tim Keller (Nonpartisan)
		Mayling Armijo (Nonpartisan)
		Daniel Chavez (Nonpartisan)
		Louie Sanchez (Nonpartisan)
		Alexander Uballez (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Eddie Varela (Nonpartisan)
		Darren White (Nonpartisan)

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Patrick Sais (Nonpartisan)
• Alpana Adair (Nonpartisan)
• Brian Fejer (Nonpartisan)
• Adeo Herrick (Nonpartisan)

Election campaign finance

Candidates in this election submitted campaign finance reports to the City Clerk's Office. Click here to access those reports.

Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.

If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.

• City of Albuquerque Campaign Finance System

Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

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Candidate

Mayor of Albuquerque

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