Election 2023: Incumbent Peggy Muller-Aragón falls behind in Albuquerque school board race

Nov. 7—In an apparent upset, Albuquerque's only school board incumbent running for reelection was trailing her teachers union-endorsed rival, according to unofficial election results Tuesday evening that included reporting from all voting centers.

In the race to represent a chunk of Northwest Albuquerque, board Vice President Peggy Muller-Aragón, one of the longest-serving current board members, was behind challenger and union pick Ronalda Tome-Warito by about 2 percentage points as of 10:15 p.m., according to the Bernalillo County Clerk's website.

Of the 10,400 votes that had been counted at that time, Muller-Aragón had garnered 4,149, compared with Tome-Warito's 4,404.

"I'm just so excited. But at the same time, I'm waiting for it all to set in," said Tome-Warito of the unofficial results. "I'm just very thankful right now, and also with Peggy. She ran a good race, and I know now that the path and the journey that we need to face is all so different than the years she participated ... but I'm grateful for her leadership."

Muller-Aragón could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.

In the race to represent the South Valley, Janelle Astorga appeared to be winning over District 1 candidate Robert Trujillo, a union pick. She was leading by almost 6 percentage points, or about 360 votes.

"I'm feeling really good," Astorga said. "I'm definitely happy campaigning is done. The work doesn't stop here (but) I can't wait to just celebrate with my community."

On the other hand, Southeast Albuquerque's District 4 candidate Heather Benavidez, another union pick, was far ahead of the only other candidate in her race, holding an almost 65 percentage point lead over rival Stephen Cecco with close to 9,700 of the more than 11,700 votes counted.

"I am very excited, happy with the results, obviously, and ready to work hard, because that's what it's going to take," said Benavidez when reached by the phone. "I also want to congratulate my opponent on a clean race. I really appreciate that."

District 1 candidate Verland Coker and District 2 candidate Adrian Nogales each trailed far behind the other two candidates in their races with 9% and about 18% of the votes, respectively.

Eight candidates were competing for three seats on the school board, which is a seven-member panel. Current board President Yolanda Montoya-Cordova and board member Barbara Petersen, who represent Districts 1 and 4, respectively, decided not to run for reelection.

If the unofficial results hold steady, the school board would remain entirely made up of women.

As both the incumbent in the race and the candidate who raised the most money, according to the election's first campaign finance reports, Muller-Aragón's disadvantage could be seen as a surprise.

Her battle to keep a hold on her district was a challenging one in a couple respects. For example, under newly drawn lines of board districts approved in December, District 2 faced a drop in population of about 8,100 people.

It also faced a sizable political effort — in part driven by the Albuquerque Teachers Federation — to reject candidates supported by the local chapter of parents rights group Moms for Liberty, which has lifted up Muller-Aragón and Cecco.

Nationally, the group has been classified by The Southern Poverty Law Center as an extremist group — a label leaders and supporters of the group have vehemently rebuked.

Across the country, Moms for Liberty has been criticized for making pushes in districts to remove books from libraries that mention or center on messages of diversity, and for spreading anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric.

"What they say we teach kids is not true — it's a farce," said Wendy Kostora, a retired educational assistant who said she was concerned about candidates supported by Moms for Liberty and voted for Benavidez.

This election has also presented an opportunity for the teachers union, which endorsed Trujillo, Tome-Warito and Benavidez, to possibly reclaim a majority on the board comprised of union picks by flipping Muller-Aragón's seat.

During the last election cycle, three candidates beat out rivals endorsed by the ATF, joining Muller-Aragón as a majority of board members largely backed by businesses and other organizations.

Ironically, according to unofficial results, while the teachers union was apparently able to flip Muller-Aragón's seat, it did not appear able to keep Montoya-Cordova's seat, meaning it still may not have a majority on the board.

Early results showing Benavidez's lead did not come as a surprise, as her seat is currently held by a union pick and, according to the first campaign finance filings in the election, she had far outraised Cecco.

But for the same reasons, Trujillo could have been expected to be the early frontrunner, though he ultimately wasn't.

His campaign did face a rocky road.

A parents group raised concerns about battery charges — which were ultimately conditionally discharged, and his case was dismissed — stemming from 2006 and involving his former wife and best friend. They also criticized his having almost $200,000 in outstanding federal tax liens on his business.