Soon-To-Be San Antonio Mayor Makes History

Gina Ortiz Jones made history on Saturday night, becoming the first openly lesbian woman to be elected as mayor of San Antonio. She beat the Republican Rolando Pablos in an election in San Antonio that many watched.

Ms. Jones, a Filipino American, secured the victory in San Antonio’s 2025 mayoral elections. She defeated Republican Rolando Pablos, receiving 54.3% of all votes. Her win marks a historic moment, since she is the first openly lesbian woman elected as mayor for San Antonio.

A former Under Secretary of the Air Force and a two-time congressional candidate, Ms. Jones’ campaign focused on inclusive leadership, affordable housing, and spending more on the city’s infrastructure. Her campaign highlighted unity and social equity. She also highlighted previously mentioned roles in her campaign, receiving many votes from veterans and progressives.

Mr. Pablos’s campaign focused heavily on public safety, fiscal responsibility, and developing the economy. He proposed a “Fund First” policy to prioritize first responders in the city budget, and also advocated for aggressive solutions to San Antonio’s homelessness problem. Mr. Pablos also included his ties to Republican leaders in his campaign, while Ms. Jones used her extensive Democratic ties.

Mr. Pablos also accused Ms. Jones of taking the last name Ortiz to secure votes from Latinos, although many Filipinos have Spanish last names or middle names, a mark from Spanish colonization. Ms. Jones then accused Mr. Pablos of being “Abbott’s puppet”, since he was formerly a secretary of state under Governor Abbott.

Before the runoff was an election in May where no candidate secured a majority, forcing another vote between Ms. Jones and Mr. Pablos. It quickly became an important political event in America, drawing much attention from around the state. This is because Texas is a historically red state, but her election would add more Democratic presence in Texas. Part of this also has to do with San Antonio being a major city, the seventh largest city in the U.S., and the second largest in Texas.

With over 140,000 people participating in the voting, the election drew much attention. Ms. Jones is set to be sworn in on June 18, succeeding Ron Nirenberg, who has already served for 8 years and has reached his term limit.

“This isn’t just a win for me—it’s a win for everyone who believes San Antonio’s best days are ahead of us. Together, we’ll build a city that works for all of us.” Ms. Jones said in her victory speech. While the 4% win wasn’t exactly a landslide, it reveals San Antonio’s rapidly changing political landscape.