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APS' only school board incumbent running for reelection is the far and away fundraising frontrunner
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While the only incumbent fighting to keep her seat on the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Public Schools board far outraised and outspent every other candidate in the field, teachers-union endorsed candidates were faring better than they did in 2021, campaign finance reports filed last week show.
District 2 incumbent Peggy Muller-Arag贸n, who鈥檚 been on the board since 2015, raised over $50,000 and spent over $21,000, mostly on campaign consultants.
But whereas the four sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Teachers Federation-backed candidates during the first reporting period of the last election cycle averaged around $17,800 in fundraising, the union鈥檚 three picks this year averaged over $30,200.
In 2021, business-backed candidates largely beat out rivals endorsed by the union. This year, the ATF has said it aims to keep candidates it has endorsed in the District 1 and District 4 seats, and is trying to flip the District 2 seat.
Funds flow to business-backed candidates for APS board
Muller-Arag贸n鈥榮 largest single donations came from the campaign committee of her treasurer Robert Moss, also a managing partner at her husband鈥檚 law firm and a failed candidate for a state House seat in 2022, and The New Beginnings LLC, which provides habilitation services for people with developmental disabilities.
Both gave Muller-Arag贸n $10,000, also the largest single donations of any of the races. Moss also made another $500 contribution to the campaign.
Muller-Arag贸n was flanked by District 2 rival Ronalda Tome-Warito, who raised $33,000; District 4 candidate Heather Benavidez, who raised over $29,000; and District 1 candidate Robert Trujillo, with about $28,600.
All three candidates鈥� largest contributions came from the ATF and American Federation of Teachers New Mexico, who each gave all three candidates $5,000.
District 1 candidate Janelle Astorga raised $14,375 in an almost even split between individual and political action committee contributions. District 4 candidate Stephen Cecco received much of his almost-$6,600 from individual donations.
Adrian Nogales, a teacher competing for the District 2 seat, received contributions totaling to $999.99 from just one source: his own campaign committee.
District 1 candidate Verland Coker did not appear to have campaign finance filings listed as of Friday afternoon. A New Mexico Secretary of State spokesperson said in an email that Coker 鈥渏ust has not filed the most recent report,鈥� and that 鈥渋f he remains non-compliant we will attempt to 鈥� reach out to him to ensure he files.鈥�
Altogether, the candidates spent almost $59,700, according to the reports.
Other highlights of the reports include:
- Astorga raised at least $5,500 of her total $14,375 from unions. None of those contributors, however, included teachers unions.
- Muller-Arag贸n saw the largest amount of 鈥渙ther鈥� contributions, which include those from businesses, with over $13,500. But 鈥渙ther鈥� contributions to Trujillo, a contractor, made up 29% of his fundraising total 鈥� the largest proportion of all candidates.
- Current District 4 board member Barbara Petersen and her political committee have given the most of all sitting board members, contributing almost $2,850 in total 鈥� almost $600 each to Tome-Warito and Trujillo, and over $1,680 to Benavidez.
