Far from making it easier for a candidate to run for the office of Mayor of Albuquerque - also variously known as Alcalde and "that idiot" - the new public financing rule has caused most viable candidates to drop out of the race before it even starts. This happened this week when candidates, both liberal and conservative, found themselves unable to spend the time and money to drum up the roughly 4000 five-dollar donations needed to qualify for public financing. And the incumbent (another name for Mayor)? No problem. He just asked all city employees to do donate. In fear of their jobs in this recessive economy, they did it. In spades. We may have a one-man race.
Ironically, the rule was supposed to keep the race from being run only by those with their own cash wads to spend. It backfired louder than a flivver running on green chile. Guacamole anyone?
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