ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque voters have three choices for their next mayor and over the next three nights, KRQE News 13 will be profiling each of the candidates. Each candidate will be asked the same four questions and an individualized fifth question.

Conservative radio host and lone-Republican candidate, Eddy Aragon, says the mayor’s office is the end all be all. For Aragon, winning in November would mean trading in his radio platform for local politics.

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“I got into this because I wanted to see a debate about the things that actually matter. The city, COVID, crime, commerce and corruption and that was going to be my focus in order to drive the dialogue to improve the City of Albuquerque. I want it better for my six-year-old, my nine-year-old,” Aragon said.

Aragon thinks he’s right for the job because of his diverse career background. “I’ve certainly got the background with a degree in political science and economics. I have many years of experience with Fortune 500 companies, operating as a commercial real estate broker. I’m a business owner, as I own a radio station, KIVA AM1600 and I’m somebody who’s a shareholder in the community,” said Aragon.

When asked about his opponents’ weaknesses, Aragon says incumbent mayor and Democratic candidate, Tim Keller, is too far left. “Mayor Keller is an intelligent man. He’s a smart man. He’s someone who’s highly educated. He’s, unfortunately, been driven mostly by his political ideology. The progressive left has really taken over. I’m disappointed to see him go in the direction he’s done and thereby the city,” Aragon said.

As for his other opponent, Aragon thinks Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales is completely unqualified and dangerous for the city. “I mean, if you want to see a disaster, you would select Manny Gonzales. I’m very, very disappointed at the type of person he was. The shots he took at Mayor Tim Keller, unsubstantiated, pose a huge liability for the City of Albuquerque. I can’t imagine what type of leader or what Albuquerque would look like under a mayor, Sheriff Manny Gonzales,” said Aragon.

Crime is one of the top issues being discussed in the mayoral race and KRQE News 13 asked Aragon why he thinks he can fix crime when no one else has. “The Department of Justice can’t be used as an excuse; National trends can’t be used as an excuse. We need to staff our departments; They need staff and resources. We have no commercial burglary division, residential burglary division. We have to accelerate our compliance so we can move the Department of Justice out in the next couple years. We can’t fight crime, while at the same time, fighting the Department of Justice,” Aragon said.

Aragon’s fifth and final question comes down to if voters can trust him to lead Albuquerque out of the pandemic. He’s the only candidate who has never held public office or worked with city government. Aragon says his experience as a business owner and businessman makes up for that.

“I think we have to look at this much like we looked at this during Donald Trump’s tenure. Donald Trump looked at everything as a business. I think we need to stop attacking success, stop attacking people who are all about making sure a job gets done. That’s what I’m there for. I’m not there to run for another position. I don’t have any future endeavors. I just want to make the City of Albuquerque a better place,” Aragon said.

Thursday night, KRQE News 13 will sit down with Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales. Election Day is less than two weeks away.