Martin Chavez
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Martin J. Chavez (born 1952) is the Mayor of Albuquerque. From 1989 to 1993 he served in the New Mexico State Senate and was elected to his first term as Mayor in 1993. Chavez left office in 1997 to run for Governor of New Mexico as the Democratic candidate, but lost to incumbent Gary Johnson. Chavez defeated Mayor Jim Baca in 2001 to start his second term as mayor.
Mayor Chavez is a centrist Democrat, often supporting positions that aid downtown businesses and housing developers. He led the effort to build a road through the Petroglyph National Monument, west of Albuquerque, which would connect the city to a new housing development called Black Ranch. Opponents of the road project note that it would disturb ancient petroglyphs and would contribute to the traffic in the area. Black ranch is owned by John Black, a donor to Chavez's political campaigns. After failing once in a city-wide referendum, the road project was passed as part of a city street bond approved by voters in 2004. Martin Chavez is running for reelection as Mayor of Albuquerque in 2005.