ABQ Mayor Marty Chavez Tosses His Hat in the Ring for the Fourth Time (with Videos & Photos)

It's finally official. After toying with the media for many moons, current Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez formally announced his decision yesterday -- 87 days before the October 6 election -- to run for his third straight mayoral term and his fourth overall. Several hundred people attended the event held Sunday afternoon at the Don Newton Community Center in Taylor Ranch on Albuquerque's West Side.

Chavez was introduced by Clara Apodaca (left), and Cody Unser (right), backed by a banner proclaiming, "Today ... More Than Ever." The color purple was everywhere, from the banners to the bumperstickers to the balloons and the tablecloths.

Mayor Chavez touted his experience and willingness to make the tough decisions when necessary as two big points in his favor as a candidate. He admitted he has made mistakes in the past and will make more in the future, but pledged that they'd be "mistakes of the head, not mistakes of the heart" because he loves Albuquerque:

Chavez laid out his vision for the future in his acceptance speech and said he'd concentrate on public safety, attracting green and other high-paying jobs, improving education and making Albuquerque a world-class city with services and amenities suitable for the 21st century. He stressed that Albuquerque's diversity isn't just tolerated -- it's celebrated. He also made a special point of thanking AFSCME for its endorsement, noting that it's so much better to be on the same side for the first time:

In the clip below, Chavez talks about his intention to make Albuquerque one of the greenest cities in America and his dedication to attracting top-notch jobs so kids can stay here instead of being forced to move elsewhere for good-paying employment opportunities.

Answering a question from Mary Ellen after his speech, Mayor Chavez comments on his feelings about today's events in the video below:

You can visit Chavez's new campaign website at www.martychavez.com/. Marty Chavez first served as Mayor of Albuquerque from 1993-1997. He was reelected in 2001 and 2005. He also served in the State Senate from 1989 to 1993.

To see more video clips from the Mayor's speech visit, this playlist. You can view a slide show of photos from today's event below and see it full screen here.

Mayor Chavez will face fellow Democrat Richard Romero and Republic Richard Berry in October's nonpartisan municipal election.