Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller secured a third term Tuesday night, defeating Republican challenger Darren White in a closely watched runoff election that laid bare deep divisions over public safety and governance in the city.
Within hours of the election’s conclusion, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina ignited fresh controversy by posting a message on the official Albuquerque Police Department X account addressed to White: “@darrenPwhite guess I get to retire on my own terms. Have a good life.” The terse post struck many observers as an inappropriate use of an official law-enforcement channel to comment on an election outcome.
White, a former Bernalillo County Sheriff who ran on a platform centered on restoring law and order, did not hold back in his response. “While you’re using your city Twitter account to spike the political football — too bad the driver you recklessly crashed into and left with permanent, life-changing injuries, doesn’t get to retire on his own terms,” White wrote in a reply that quickly circulated online. His comment revived longstanding criticism of Medina’s leadership and questions about accountability.
Medina’s social media conduct has drawn fire before. City leaders and residents have previously complained about posts perceived as unprofessional or combative from APD’s X presence, leading to public reprimands from City Council members who said the behavior strained relations with the community.
The flashpoint over Medina’s conduct comes amid continued scrutiny over a February 2024 crash in which the police chief ran a red light while responding to what he said was nearby gunfire, striking another vehicle and critically injuring the driver, Todd Perchert. An internal investigation found Medina failed to activate his body camera and did not safely operate his vehicle, resulting in letters of reprimand placed in his personnel file.
Perchert’s life was dramatically affected: the crash left him hospitalized and undergoing significant recovery. A civil lawsuit filed against Medina and the City of Albuquerque alleges that the chief’s actions were reckless and caused severe harm — a suit that a judge recently reinstated for further hearings.
Critics argue that Keller’s embrace of Medina after the collision helped embolden the chief’s unchecked behavior. In the immediate aftermath of the crash, Keller publicly portrayed Medina’s actions as heroic, a characterization that drew ire from residents and watchdogs who saw the incident as negligence, not valor.
For White and his supporters, the tweet controversy underscores their broader critique of Keller’s leadership. Throughout the election, White hammered Keller for what he described as a permissive approach to homelessness, crime, and enforcement that left Albuquerque feeling unsafe to many residents. Polling and debate coverage showed public frustration with violent crime rates and social disorder, even as Keller cited statistical declines in certain categories.
As Keller prepares for another four-year term, questions about public safety, accountability, and the tone of official communications will likely remain at the forefront of Albuquerque politics. But one thing is clear: Keller is refusing to fire Medina.
This is what the people voted for. No one to blame but the voters.
Either those who care didn’t go vote or the voters of the Duke city really are without any common sense.
Albuquerque deserves this!!!
Agreed with the above comment. I do hope Darren stays in the public eye, we need a strong advocate despite the loss to Keller.
Without proper election qualifications, voter ID, clean rolls, there is no way to tell what the will of the people is and the party manipulation effects are. Sorry, specious argument.
Wishing NM respected her citizens.
The dirty politics and buddy-ism of Albq and the dembocrap way of thinking is the ONLY reason Medina wasn’t fired and jailed immediately after his “duck and run” that maimed an innocent person! Median you are an embarrassment to the badge!!!!!!
What else can be said. The stupid people of Abq should have received knee pads when they voted. When crime spikes and horrible things happen, thanks to these incompetent boobs who hold the offices that are supposed to protect said voters, remember the majority of people apparently like the way they are running our city into the ground. Republicans and law abiding citizen who sat these 2 elections out should stay out of the conversation. To the crime loving dolts who voted for Keller, I sincerely hope crime does not reach your family, but if it does you asked for it with YOUR vote. Apparently, Albuquerque and the majority of New Mexico are a broken record that is stuck on stupid.
Unless Republicans get off their collective butts and go vote in the upcoming mid terms, EVERYTHING we fought so hard for in 2024 will be lost. If you voted for the changes the Trump administration is carrying out, you need to give him the tools to keep it going! Otherwise, the next two years will be filled with pinheads like the gutter snipe Crockett and the rest of democrats impeaching everyone from the president down to the gardener. We will pay for that just like we did before.
Don’t sit 2026 out! Republicans! Grab 10 legal voters and get your butts to the polls! We could be an unstoppable army for the good of New Mexico and the nation if we unite and vote!!
This time I too blame the Albuquerque voters. They are either moronic, stupid or lazy or all of the above. We finally got someone to run for office that just might make a good change and we didn’t go all out to support him and get him elected. So NM and Albuquerque still remains the dregs of society and the landfill of the world. Now, we all, NM citizens must live with what we got.
Albuquerque and New Mexico definitely deserve all the fruits of the past and present voting majorities. I’ve definitely given up hope that there can be any change for the liberal, dem lockstep the voters in this state continually vote for. We are the poster children for the definition of insanity wherein the majority votes for the same thing over and over resulting in high taxation, poor schools, high crime, repeat offenders, filthy streets, political corruption, and on and on; yet this same majority expects things to change for the better. This electorate is beyond hope.
Once a city becomes blue, it will never again go back. It is entrenched with voter scamming.
Sad…
I truly believe that the voting system is controlled and skewed toward a liberal, Democrat outcome. The majority of people in this state are not stupid or blind to corruption. An intervention from Washington might be the way to cleaning up what seems to be an upstoppable dirty cartel. It happened in MN and could happen here if voices get loud enough to be heard. Our NM state Congress and Representatives show each time they speak in Washington how rediculous, immature and out of touch they are. I wonder what it would take to get the attention of Washington to shine a spotlight on the fruad and misconduct of our NM governing system?
Medina, like Keller, is a coward and a criminal. Both worthless POS’s. I cannot wait to move out of Albuquerque – it is a Sh_t-show.
pedocrat shitholers get to run free in nm & elsewhere
I agree with all the comments. The City proper will get what they “voted” for and all of us in the county and surrounding areas that Could Not vote, will also feel the consequences. It will spread from the city to the rural areas. It just isn’t fair how the corrupt get and keep control. Dreading the Governor race next year.
I wholeheartedly agree with comments from Richard Beaudoin and Kimberly Duran!
We have a voter integrity problem here and until we conduct an audit and clean up voter rolls, we are destined to repeat these losses.
Our Republican candidates need to stop conceding so quickly and demand an audit. Yes, it will cost us, but we cannot afford to continue on this way. The corruption running our state is killing businesses, education, healthcare, etc.