An updated version of this post with the final roster of candidates can be found here.
With a little over a week to go to file for municipal offices on the May 6 ballot, 44 San Antonioians have already filed for mayor and city council. Others have announced their candidacies, filed preliminary campaign paperwork or are considering entering the fray (including some not mentioned below). We thought it was a good time to take an initial look at the candidates so far, concentrating on their prior service to city of San Antonio boards and commissions and past campaigns.
Some candidates appear to be running for public office for the first time, at least as far as we can tell, while others are regular contestants for city offices. The four open seats and mayoral race have drawn the most attention, while no one has filed for District 4 so far.
Mayor
Ivy Taylor (incumbent)
Antonio Diaz, independent contractor. Ran unsuccessfully as a Green Party candidate for CD21 twice (2014, 2016) and CD20 once (2012). He also ran unsuccessfully for San Antonio council D2 in 2015, placing third out of three candidates with 15% of the vote, and 2013 (4%).
Michael “Commander” Idrogo, perennial candidate making ninth consecutive run for mayor since 2001. Ran unsuccessfully for CD20 as a Libertarian in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010. In 2014, he run but failed to win the Libertarian nomination for CD20.
Will McLeod, security. Received 7% of the vote in 2011 race for mayor, finishing second out of five candidates.
Manuel Medina, Bexar Co. Democratic Party chair
Ron Nirenberg, San Antonio council member
Gerald Ponce, consultant. Received 97 votes in the 2015 mayoral election, placing 13th out of 14 candidates. Ran unsuccessfully for Bexar Co. Judge in 2014 and Bexar Co. Tax Assessor-Collector in 2012 (7%).
Keven Roles, paramedic. Appears to be making first run for public office.
Rhett Smith, perennial candidate making sixth race for mayor since 2005. Ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate, three congressional seats, governor, Bexar Co. Judge and board trustee for the San Antonio River Authority under multiple partisan banners.
John Velasquez, clinical psychologist. Appears to be making first run for public office.
District 1
Roberto Treviño (incumbent)
Lauro Bustamante, attorney. Perennial candidate who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for the 438th Judicial District in 2016, receiving 41% of the vote, and in 2012 (36%). Received the Democratic nomination for the 224th Judicial District in 2014 but lost the general election. Ran unsuccessfully for the 4th Court of Appeals in 2006, the 57th Judicial District in 2008 Ran unsuccessfully for CD28 in 1998 and in a 1997 special election
District 2
Alan Warrick II (incumbent)
Don Brown, office manager. Appears to be making first run for public office.
William “Cruz” Shaw, attorney and former member of the city zoning commission. Appears to be making first run for public office.
Former council member Keith Toney, who was appointed to succeed Ivy Taylor in 2014 but lost the ensuing special election to Warrick, is also expected to seek the seat. Toney ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2016.
District 3
Rebecca Viagran (incumbent)
Nathan Carrizales, student. Appears to be making first run for public office.
Sylvia Don, Democratic party activist. Appears to be making first run for public office.
District 4
None
Incumbent Rey Saldana, rumored as a potential mayoral candidate, announced in December that he would instead seek re-election. No other candidates have filed a campaign treasurer appointment in anticipation of a challenge.
District 5
Shirley Gonzales (incumbent)
Cynthia Cavazos, social services. Received 201 votes for mayor in 2015, placing 9th out of 14 candidates.
District 6 open
Eric Gosset, recent college graduate. Appears to be making first run for public office.
Melissa Cabello Havrda, attorney. Appears to be making first run for public office.
Ricardo “Rick” Treviño, educator and national convention delegate for the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign. Appears to be making first run for public office.
Incumbent Ray Lopez is term-limited. Joseph Cortez, a former senior policy advisor to Lopez and brother of Rep. Philip Cortez (D-San Antonio), has announced for the seat.
District 7
Cris Medina (incumbent)
Michele Dalbis-Robledo, former council aide and president of the Braun Station East Community Improvement Assoc. Appears to be making her first run for public office.
Marco Reyes, educator. Appears to be making his first run for public office.
District 8 open
Cynthia Brehm, retiree. Ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2015, receiving less than 2% of the vote and finishing 6th out of 14 candidates.
Shane Hinze, student. Appears to be making his first run for public office.
Manny Pelaez, attorney and former board member of San Antonio Water Systems. Appears to be making his first run for public office.
Pat Stout, businesswoman and former chair of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Appears to be making her first run for public office.
Tony Valdivia, financial analyst. Ran for president in 2016 as a write-in, receiving 428 votes statewide (15 in Bexar Co.).
Incumbent Ron Nirenberg is running for mayor.
District 9 open
David “Doc” Cohen, physician and retired Army colonel. Appears to be making first run for public office.
John Courage, educator. Ran unsuccessfully for SD25 in 2012 and CD21 in 2002 and 2006.
Patty Gibbons, businesswoman and D9 appointee to the San Antonio Housing Trust. Appears to be making first run for public office.
Matt Piña, sales. Appears to be making his first run for public office.
Lynlie Wallace, chief of staff to Rep. Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio). Appears to be making her first run for public office.
Incumbent Joe Krier is not seeking re-election. Marco Barros, CEO of the San Antonio Area Tourism Council, has announced for the seat, and is expected to be endorsed by Krier.
District 10 open
John Alvarez, therapist and D10 appointee to the SA2020 Commission on Strengthening Family Well-being. Appears to be making his first run for public office.
Jonathan Detmer, self-employed. Appears to be making his first run for public office.
Ezra Johnson, attorney. Appears to be making his first run for public office.
Lon Jett IV, retired military. Appears to be making his first run for public office.
Diana Kenny, school psychologist. Appears to be her first run for public office.
Reinette King, real estate investor and D10 appointee to the city’s Zoning Commission. Appears to be making her first run for public office.
Andrew Padilla, retired chef. Appears to be making his first run for public office.
Clayton Perry, retired engineer. Appears to be making his first run for public office.
Incumbent Mike Gallagher is not seeking re-election.
We will update this post after the filing deadline to include all filed candidates.
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