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Axios
3 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
San Antonio City Council election results show changing politics
San Antonio City Council District 1 incumbent Sukh Kaur held on to her seat in Saturday's runoff election, in which three new city councilmembers were also elected in a political shakeup. Why it matters: A new generation of councilmembers can help shape a range of transformative city plans as they work with new mayor Gina Ortiz Jones over the next four years — but they'll also have to contend with a possible budget deficit and cuts to services. By the numbers: Kaur beat out conservative neighborhood leader Patty Gibbons 65% to 35% in the downtown area district, which now also includes some neighborhoods north of Loop 410. The big picture: The San Antonio City Council could have a starker political divide. It'sgaining one more progressive and one more conservative member, who are taking over seats previously held by business-friendly and moderate Democrats. Ortiz Jones is expected to lead as a progressive. The latest: In District 6 on the Far West Side, Ric Galvan (50.1%) beat Kelly Ann Gonzalez (49.9%) by just 25 votes. Both have progressive backgrounds running in a district that has previously elected Republicans and business-friendly Democrats. In District 8 on the Northwest Side, Ivalis Meza Gonzalez (57%) beat Paula McGee (43%). Meza Gonzalez is the former chief of staff to Mayor Ron Nirenberg, while McGee had experience on city boards and support from the Republican Party of Bexar County. In District 9 on the North Side, Misty Spears (57%) beat Angi Taylor Aramburu (43%), putting this more conservative district back in Republican hands for the first time in eight years. Spears has been the director of constituent services for Republican Bexar County Commissioner Grant Moody. Flashback: The four districts headed to the June runoff after no one earned more than 50% of the vote in the May 3 election. District 4 on the Southwest Side is newly represented by Edward Mungia, a former staff member in the office. He won outright in the May election.
Axios
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
What's changed in San Antonio five years after Floyd's murder
A vast majority of Americans say in a new Pew Research Center survey that the increased focus on racial inequality after George Floyd's killing didn't lead to changes that improved the lives of Black Americans. Why it matters: Floyd's 2020 murder by Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck sparked international protests and calls to tackle systemic racism, but five years later, that momentum appears all but gone. Zoom in: Protesters gathered across the state, including in San Antonio, to call for an end to police brutality and, in some cases, demanded local police departments be abolished. In August 2020, spurred on by the summer protests, the San Antonio City Council passed a resolution that declared racism a public health crisis. It called for reviewing city policies with the aim of eliminating implicit and explicit racial bias; organizing health data by race, ethnicity and income; and working to lessen segregation caused by housing and job loss, among other measures. Plus: The San Antonio Police Department clarified its policies in 2020 to explicitly say officers could not use chokeholds or no-knock warrants (the warrant used by the officers who shot and killed Louisville resident Breonna Taylor in her home in 2020). Last year, the city created an office to examine how programs and policies outside the police department impact crime, a move aimed at expanding its public safety approach beyond traditional police work. Yes, but: In 2021, San Antonio voters narrowly turned down a charter amendment that would have stripped the police union of its right to collectively bargain with the city, amid national criticism of the unions for holding back police reform measures. Still, local advocates said they were encouraged that the vote was close — 51%-49%. Zoom out: Last year, Gov. Greg Abbott pardoned Daniel Perry, who was convicted of killing Black Lives Matter (BLM) protester Garrett Foster in Austin in 2020. The big picture: The BLM movement persuaded companies to commit to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, but President Trump's anti-DEI executive orders have now forced many corporations to abandon those promises. By the numbers: Five years later, 72% of Americans say the increased focus on racial inequality didn't lead to significant changes that helped Black people, per the Pew survey. Now 52% of Americans express support for the BLM movement, a 15 percentage point drop from June 2020. In addition, 49% doubt that Black Americans will ever have equal rights with white Americans, up from 39% in 2020. What they're saying: Sunny Slaughter, a law enforcement expert and CourtTV legal analyst, says she understands why so many Americans feel like the racial reckoning didn't lead to lasting change. "People feel exhausted. The momentum of 2020 doesn't look the same — and I get that." "We've gone from reform to reframing — and now, to recalibration," Slaughter said. "We're not where we hoped we'd be. But we're not where we were either."
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Leopard print-loving lawmaker to take two-month paid paternity leave as he and husband welcome baby
A Texas lawmaker known for his bold fashion choices announced he will be taking a paid paternity leave during the busiest time of year. San Antonio City Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, 30, revealed on Tuesday that he will be taking a leave of absence from August 1 to October 1 after he and his husband welcome their first child. McKee-Rodriguez will continue to receive a salary during his leave, according to San Antonio Report. Council members awarded themselves a 54 percent pay hike this year with their salaries rising from $45,722 to $70,200. The absence will take place in the midst of budget season, which is expected to the particularly challenging this year as the city is projecting a $31 million deficit, according to the San Antonio Express-News. McKee-Rodriguez and his husband, Nathan, are expecting a baby girl in July, and said he decided to take leave due to his partner's 'limited access to parental leave.' 'It's really important to me and my husband that I be fully present,' he told the local newspaper. McKee-Rodriguez, who was re-elected earlier in May for a third term that runs through 2029, is requesting an interim councilmember to serve in his place. 'I'm really looking for a proxy who can say the things I need them to say on the dais and can cast the vote as I would,' he said. 'Someone who is willing to continue to have conversations with me and staff. I will still be present and around when I'm available, but I can't guarantee I will be on the dais and at council chambers for very vote and discussion this season requires.' City Council as a whole has the month of July off, so McKee-Rodriguez's replacement will pick up in August. 'I know how important it is that District 2 has a voice at every decision-making table,' he said. 'In July, I'll remain actively involved in preparing the Interim-Councilmember by introducing them to our team, briefing them on community priorities, and supporting their transition into the role. 'Even during my leave, I'll continue to stay connected, communicating with constituents, attending events when possible, and serving as a resource for both the Interim-Councilmember and my colleagues.' While council members do not need permission to take leave, his colleagues will need to ratify the process for selecting a temporary replacement, McKee-Rodriguez told the San Antonio Report. McKee-Rodriguez, 30, was the first openly gay man elected to City Council in San Antonio, and the first openly gay black man elected to any seat in Texas, according to his biography. The councilman is known for his bold fashion choices, like wearing a leopard print suit on the chamber floor. McKee-Rodriguez was endorsed by Nicki Minaj in 2021 after he wished the queen of rap a happy birthday during a city council session, WOAI reported. Born in Tennessee, he attend the University of Texas at San Antonio where he earned a bachelor's degree in communications and masters of education in educational leadership and policy studies. He volunteered full-time as an AmeriCorps member with City Year at Davis Middle School before becoming a math teacher. McKee-Rodriguez and his husband married in April of 2018 and they have two cats and a dog.
Axios
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
San Antonio City Council election results: Four districts head to runoff
San Antonio City Council candidates in four districts are headed for a runoff next month, including District 1 incumbent Sukh Kaur, who came roughly 1 percentage point shy of winning the seat outright. Why it matters: A new generation of council members will help shape a range of transformative city plans as they work with a new mayor over the next four years. The latest: Kaur (48.91%) will face Patty Gibbons (17.8%) in the June 7 runoff. Kaur needed 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff. Kaur, who is running for a second term, previously founded an education consulting company and is a former teacher. Gibbons is a longtime neighborhood leader in Greater Harmony Hills who has been active with the Republican Party of Bexar County. She previously ran for City Council in District 9, a more conservative district, before she was redistricted into the more urban District 1. There will also be a runoff on June 7 in districts 6, 8 and 9. Here's how races shaped up in the districts where there was no incumbent on the ballot. District 4: Edward Mungia, a staffer in the District 4 office who served as a trustee for South San ISD and a board member for MOVE Texas, won with 56.8% of the vote. District 6: Kelly Ann Gonzalez (19.7%) will face Ric Galvan (19.37%) in the runoff. Gonzalez has worked as a labor organizer for city employees and is endorsed by outgoing District 6 Councilmember Melissa Cabello Havrda. Galvan is a staffer for City Council District 5. Both have ties to progressive politics. District 8: Ivalis Meza Gonzalez (40.33%) will face Paula McGee (22.22%) in the runoff. Meza Gonzalez is the former chief of staff to Mayor Ron Nirenberg who ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat in the 2022 race for Bexar County Judge. McGee is an attorney who has served on the city's Zoning Commission and Ethics Review Board. District 9: Misty Spears (38.01%) will face Angi Taylor Aramburu (35.57%) in the runoff, shaping up to be a more partisan race. Spears is director of constituent services for Republican Bexar County Commissioner Grant Moody, and has his endorsement. Aramburu ran for Texas House District 122 as a Democrat in 2022, and is endorsed by outgoing District 9 Councilmember John Courage. Zoom out: Elsewhere, City Council incumbents kept their seats by the following margins: District 2, Jalen McKee-Rodriguez: 61% District 3, Phyllis Viagran: 57% District 5, Teri Castillo: 77% District 7, Marina Alderete Gavito: 72% District 10, Marc Whyte: 69% Separately, mayoral candidates Gina Ortiz Jones (27.2%) and Rolando Pablos (16.61%) will also head to the June 7 runoff.
Axios
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
San Antonio City Council 2025 election guide
Four out of 10 San Antonio City Council districts will not have an incumbent on the May 3 ballot. Why it matters: The next group of city councilmembers will serve longer four-year terms after voters approved increasing the term length from two years. Here's what you need to know about the races without an incumbent. District 4 Gregorio De La Paz: Works in construction management and ran for the seat unsuccessfully in 2023. Ernest Arrellano: A former South San ISD trustee who unsuccessfully ran in the Democratic primary to be Bexar County Commissioner in Precinct 1 last year. Johnathon Cruz: A public school principal. Jose "Pepe" Martinez: The owner of a trucking company. Edward Mungia: A staffer in the District 4 office who served as a trustee for South San ISD and a board member for MOVE Texas. He is endorsed by outgoing District 4 Councilmember Adriana Rocha Garcia. District 6 Vanessa Chavez: An enrollment manager for IDEA Public Schools who previously worked for the city's housing department and on staff in City Council District 7. Kelly Ann Gonzalez: Has worked as a labor organizer for city employees and is endorsed by outgoing District 6 Councilmember Melissa Cabello Havrda. Ric Galvan: A staffer for City Council District 5. "San" Carlos Antonio Raymond: A U.S. Army veteran. Chris Baecker: A middle school teacher and college professor in economics who works with InfuseSA, a nonprofit that tracks city activities. Bobby Herrera: Represented District 6 on the City Council in the '90s. He did not win reelection after he was accused of being intoxicated and interfering with a police investigation outside a strip club, per the Express-News. Herrera ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2019. Gerald Lopez: A former chief of staff to former Councilmember Ray Lopez who has served as a trustee for Northside ISD and currently as a trustee for Alamo Colleges District. Lawson Alaniz-Picasso: A member of CPS Energy's Community Input Committee who has experienced homelessness in the past. She has also served on city boards. District 8 Sakib Shaikh: A real estate agent who also manages properties and has worked in the District 8 office as director of constituent services. Cesario Garcia: A film producer and student who ran unsuccessfully for the District 8 seat in 2021 and 2023. Cindy Onyekwelu: A software engineering contractor for the U.S. Air Force. Rodney "Rod" Kidd: An operations consultant. Ivalis Meza Gonzalez: Former chief of staff to Mayor Ron Nirenberg who ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat in the 2022 race for Bexar County Judge. Paula McGee: An attorney who has served on the city's Zoning Commission and Ethics Review Board, as well as the board of the Alamo Colleges Foundation. District 9
