Latest news with #GinaOrtizJones
Axios
3 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Get to know San Antonio mayoral runoff candidates
There's only about a month between the May 3 election and June 7 runoff for San Antonio voters to get to know mayoral candidates Gina Ortiz Jones and Rolando Pablos, the two who emerged on top from a field of 27 people. We asked each a series of fun questions to learn more about them as a person. Catch up quick: Ortiz Jones, a former Air Force undersecretary under the Biden administration, won about 27% of the vote in the May 3 election. Pablos, a former Texas secretary of state appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott, won nearly 17%. Early voting is underway now through June 3. Find polling times and locations online. Election day is June 7. Here are the questions: How do you start your morning? What's your favorite restaurant in the city? Tell us a fun fact about you. What are your hobbies when you're not working? What's your favorite TV show? What's your favorite movie? What's your favorite book? What's your favorite band or musician? What's your proudest personal achievement? What do you consider your top career accomplishment? Here's what they told us. Gina Ortiz Jones Thinking about how many people in our city would suffer if our next mayor was a green light for Trump/Abbott. Dinner: Leche de Tigre, Breakfast: the (El Rodeo De) Jalisco on Potranco and Dugas. I've been shark cage diving off the coast of South Africa. Reading, running and grabbing a spicy margarita with friends. "The Sopranos." "(The) Godfather (Part II)." Hannah Arendt's "Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil." George Strait. Being a good big sister and daughter. From Air Force intelligence officer deployed to Iraq, to 27th Under Secretary of the Air Force, my service has always been to our country. Rolando Pablos I spend time praying and meditating. It helps me compose myself and reflect on the blessings in my life. Mi Tierra. I love it and Market Square because our city's culture is so alive there, and it's filled with visitors from other cultures. My family immigrated from Mexico in 1976, when I was 8 years old. I appreciate the sacrifices my parents made, and we have lived the American dream. I love hunting. I'm a "foodie" and enjoy trying different restaurants. And I'm a big fan of all genres of music and enjoy concerts. "Entourage." "Lost in Translation." The Bible and "The Road Less Traveled." Rush. My 30-year marriage to my wonderful wife and our four remarkable children. I'm also blessed to have a very tight-knit extended family.
Axios
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
San Antonio mayor election results: Gina Ortiz Jones and Rolando Pablos lead
Candidates Gina Ortiz Jones and Rolando Pablos are leading San Antonio's mayoral race, according to unofficial early vote results posted Saturday. Why it matters: San Antonio voters had 27 candidates to choose from on the ballot, all vying in the city's first open mayoral race in 16 years. Early results show voters opted for City Hall outsiders with strong fundraising and spending over longtime councilmembers. The intrigue: The city has not elected a mayor who didn't serve on the council since 2005, when voters chose Phil Hardberger over then-District 7 Councilmember Julián Castro. (Castro wouldn't become mayor until 2009.) Catch up quick: Mayor Ron Nirenberg reached his term limits after eight years in office, making him the city's longest-serving mayor since Henry Cisneros in the 1980s. San Antonio's next mayor will serve for four years after voters approved increasing term length from two years. They will work alongside at least four new city councilmembers. There won't be another City Council election until 2029. The latest: As of 7:40pm, results showed top candidates earning: Gina Ortiz Jones: 26.54% Rolando Pablos: 15.27% Beto Altamirano: 12.42% Adriana Rocha Garcia: 10.36% Manny Pelaez: 7.86% Melissa Cabello Havrda: 6.44% John Courage: 6.36% Clayton Perry: 5.85% Zoom in: Ortiz Jones is a former Air Force undersecretary who was twice the Democratic nominee for the 23rd Congressional District. Pablos is a former Texas secretary of state who has also served as a senior adviser to Gov. Greg Abbott. The big picture: The new mayor will lead San Antonio at a pivotal time, as officials are looking to gain public support for a new downtown Spurs arena that could be surrounded by a sports and entertainment district.
Axios
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
UTSA poll: San Antonio mayoral election is wide open
A majority of likely voters say they are undecided on or unfamiliar with the 27 mayoral candidates who will be on the May ballot in San Antonio, per a February poll released Tuesday. Why it matters: The May 3 mayoral election — the first without an incumbent in 16 years — is still anyone's for the taking, the poll indicates. How it works: The UTSA Center for Public Opinion Research polled 683 likely San Antonio voters from Feb. 17-20. It was administered in English and Spanish and has a margin of error of +/- 3.8%. The poll is a snapshot in time, not a prediction, Bryan Gervais, UTSA associate professor of political science and CPOR director, told reporters during a press briefing Tuesday. By the numbers: About 35% of likely voters said they are undecided, and another 20.5% said they are unfamiliar with any of the candidates, per the poll. 9% of respondents — the highest share of those who backed a specific candidate — said they were most likely to vote for Gina Ortiz Jones, former Air Force undersecretary. 8% said they were most likely to vote for District 9 Councilmember John Courage, while 5.5% said the same for District 8 Councilmember Manny Pelaez. Four other candidates — Melissa Cabello Havrda, Beto Altamirano, Adriana Rocha Garcia and Clayton Perry — had support ranging from 3% to just under 4%. What they're saying:"The mayor's race is still wide open," Gervais said. "A lot of it will come down to which candidates are able to raise their profile and name recognition over the next several months." The fine print: CPOR weighted its poll toward voters who are most likely to turn out for the mayoral election. People who indicated they were unlikely to vote were not included. What's next: CPOR expects to conduct another municipal election poll this spring.
