San Antonio’s Runoff Election Winner, Gina Ortiz Jones
On June 7th, after winning the runoff election in San Antonio for mayor, Gina Ortiz Jones became the first openly LGBTQ, Asian American leader of one of the major cities in Texas.
Ms. Jones came out of an initial field of 27 candidates, ultimately winning the last round against Rolando Pablos, with 52.3% of the votes. The election was viewed as an indication of voting trends among Latino communities, following the shift in Hispanic voters towards Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in 2024. Although San Antonio remains strongly Democratic, Trump did make significant gains in votes in the city during his presidential campaign.
Ms. Jones campaigned on early-childhood education, increasing access to affordable housing, job programs for unskilled workers, and addressing poverty in San Antonio as, “nearly 20 percent have lived below the poverty line since the 1980s, according to U.S. census figures.” Her views on the economy and opportunities aligned with the beliefs of voters who were concerned about inequality and the overall cost of living in San Antonio.
A significant part of Ms. Jones’ campaign appeal came from her deep connection to her childhood in San Antonio, Texas, where she was raised by her single mother, Victorina M. Ortiz, who immigrated from the Philippines in the 1970s. Her mother, now retired, worked tirelessly to support her and her sister. Ms. Jones spoke about how her mother’s traits had a critical impact on her, shaping her own values.
Her education and career further enhanced her campaign. Ms. Jones went to Boston University and earned multiple degrees from the University of Kansas and the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies. Eventually, Ms. Jones was appointed by President Biden to serve as the under secretary of the Air Force.
She also worked as an intelligence officer and was deployed to Camp Victory, Iraq, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Ms. Jones is “credited with driving some of the most progressive personnel policy changes in the Department of Defense aimed at addressing inequalities and improving recruiting, readiness, and retention.” Her experience in the military and leadership within the Department of Defense fuel her hope to change the city for all its citizens.
