"There are no losers,"
Miguel Chavez's energetic wife, Liz, told SFR before the mayoral results were sealed. Chavez, though, was philosophical.
"The campaign had a message:
to take the money that's influenced our elections out of the [process]," Chavez, who imposed a $1,000 contribution limit on his campaign, says. He grimaces when he says the newly reelected mayor's grand contribution total—$170,000, which dwarfs Chavez's own total of $15,000. "That's way overboard," he says.
City council district 1 candidate Doug Nava, who
the least amount of any candidate at $1,274, takes more issue with the political process itself.
"In four years, if people complain about the economy, they need to realize
it's because they keep electing the same people,"
Nava says.
SFR caught up with him at home, where he was buttoning a fresh shirt and psyching himself up for some sportsmanlike handshaking with the other candidates.
"I'm tired. Can you see it in my face?" Nava said. "It's exhausting, it's hard, it's mind-boggling...and it's dirty. I was disappointed," he said, in some of the other candidates' tactics. He wouldn't specify, but nice-guy Nava let loose a little.
"I've kept my mouth shut for four months,"
Nava said. "I'm done."
Then, as if realizing he wasn't living up to his reputation as the happy-go-lucky prospective pol, Nava whipped out this one:
"I love the fact that I got more friends than votes."
Well played, Mr. Nava. Well played.
Santa Fe Reporter