Mayoral candidates already campaigning; Leeser doesn’t rule out running again

The dust is finally settling from last month’s Presidential election, and already, El Pasoans who want to be the city’s next Mayor are on the campaign trail.

There’s word a surprise horse is possibly in the race.

Seven people are in the process or have already named campaign treasurer in their bid to be the Mayor: City Rep. Emma Acosta, activist Jorge Artelejo, former State Rep. Dee Margo, David Saucedo, a locksmith with a degree in accounting, Chair of the El Paso Historical Commission Charles Stapler, Jameel Toombs, a 24-year-old personal trainer, and East El Pasoan Ana Romero Zaidle.

Who might that surprise candidate be?

ABC-7 is looking into the possibility current Mayor Oscar Leeser will run for re-election.

Earlier this year, he made it clear, he would not be looking for another term, but after hearing talk about it, ABC-7 asked Leeser at the Celebration of Lights last weekend whether he has changed his mind and will consider running again?

“You know that’s a great question,” Leeser said with a laugh. “I really enjoy it and I thank the people for giving trust in me to be their Mayor. One thing I can tell you is we have grown our community. It’s been very exciting. You know, I’ve enjoyed it.”

That laugh appears to have left the door open for Leeser, who never said no last weekend when asked if he will run for re-election, but stopped short of saying yes, although he said some want him to run again.

“I know I’ve had a lot of people everywhere I go and it’s very humbling to me when they come and say, ‘We want you to keep running. We want you to be part of our community and we thank you.'”

Margo, who has indicated he will run, was surprised to hear Leeser may be considering a run.

“When I talked to the mayor months ago, he told he was not going to run, and I sensed a real encouragement on his behalf for me to run,” said Margo, who indicated if Leeser runs it won’t change anything for him. “I made a commitment to do it. I made a commitment and I’m gonna follow through with it.”

ABC-7 also asked David Saucedo, who has already started campaigning, what he thought of Leeser possibly jumping into the race.

“I respect Oscar Leeser,” Saucedo said. “Whether he runs or doesn’t, we’re staying on message, we’re staying on point of accountability, transparency, historical preservation, public safety.”

City Rep. Emma Acosta had this to say about Leeser: “I think he enjoys being the Mayor. I think he’s done a good job,” Acosta said. “If he does run or he doesn’t run, once I made my decision to run, I’m going to stay with it.”

ABC-7 was unable to reach Artelejo and Zaidle, but did speak by phone with Toombs and Stapler, who said if Mayor Leeser decides to run, that won’t change their decision to run.