Five after Clovis mayor's seat

CLOVIS — Five people will vye to replace David Lansford as Clovis’ mayor, and all five of the city’s other municipal positions on the March 3 ballot are contested.

A total of 20 candidates signed up for Clovis’ municipal elections, including seven for city commission District 1 and two each for Districts 2, 3 and 4 and the municipal judge race. Only one race is contested in Portales.

Municipal elections are scheduled for March 3, with early voting starting Feb. 4.

Mayoral candidates, by position on the ballot, are Raymond Mondragon, Michael Morris, Stephen North, Rube Render and Sandra Taylor-Sawyer. Candidates for municipal elections were placed on the ballot alphabetically starting with the letter “D,” a random choice issued Friday by the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office.

Each candidate was asked by The News in 30 to 50 words why they decided to run:

• Mondragon is government affairs director at the Eastern Plains Council of Governments. “I am running for Mayor to continue to build on the successes of the past and to move the city into the future. I have the experience, knowledge, dedication and the energy to lead our city. As a retired chief of police, city manager, former chamber president, and I will be ready to lead on day 1.”

• Morris is an insurance agency owner. “I am running for mayor of the city of Clovis because I want those that come after us to find that we were good stewards during this time! I want to be involved in leading us to be a vibrant, prosperous community for generations to come!”

• North is the chief financial officer for the Ninth Judicial District Attorney’s Office. “Running for mayor of Clovis was a decision I made with the support of my amazing family and done so with the full intention of making a positive impact for our city and our future generations. My goal is to bring fresh, new ideas, and help identify areas of opportunity for Clovis.”

• Render is a retired project manager with Lockheed Martin and serves as a city commissioner for District 4. “I am running for Mayor to fulfill the duties as defined by the Clovis city charter. The mayor presides at all meetings of the commission, is the official head of the city for ceremonial purposes and for military purposes (and) votes only in the event of a tie vote of the commission.”

• Taylor-Sawyer is the director of the Clovis Small Business Development Center and a District 2 city commissioner. “There have been numerous citizens who encouraged me to run for mayor. The responses, after I asked why, were ‘Sandra, you have a commitment to our community; a great business head; a dedication to understanding the issues facing our city; and you are intelligent. Sandra, you will represent our community well!’”

The District 1 race was long known to be open, when Ladona Clayton moved to Dallas and appointment David Robinson announced he would not run for the seat. Candidates for the race are James Matthew Whittington, Eric A. Collings, Kenneth R. Lindsey, Marcus Alan Smith, Rhonda Payne Bargman, Leo Lovett and George Talmadge Jones.

The District 2 seat is open due to Taylor-Sawyer opting to run for mayor. Candidates are Lauren Denise Rowley and Jamaal Rashad Williams.

David W. Bryant will run against incumbent Helen Casaus in District 3, and Rodney Michael Lusk will run against incumbent Chris Bryant in District 4.

Vicki D. Kelley is running for the final two years of the municipal judge’s term, and will be challenged by Paul Nelson, the current city IT director. Kelley was appointed to the position after Jan Garrett opted for retirement last year.

In Portales, Ward B is the only contested city council race, with incumbent Jessica Jean Yi running against Daniel Boan. The remaining candidates are incumbents running unopposed — Veronica Cordova in Ward A, Chad Heflin in Ward C and Michael James “Jim” Lucero in Ward D.

Clovis mayoral candidates, in order of signup, are R.L. “Rube” Render, Raymond Mondragon, Stephen B. North, Michael A. Morris and Sandra Taylor-Sawyer. Mayor David Lansford announced he would not seek a sixth term on Dec. 30.

In Texico, incumbents Cathy Bullington and Dave Parmer are running unopposed. In Elida, Clayton D. Ferguson and Andres N. Jasso will run unopposed for re-election as well. In Causey, Mayor Kris King and councilors Jill Caviness and Darrell Caviness are running unopposed for re-election.

Jan. 14 is filing day for write-in candidates.