Gina Ortiz Jones says there's no time to waste as San Antonio mayor
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Gina Ortiz Jones takes questions from reporters on Saturday after declaring victory in San Antonio's mayoral election. Photo: Megan Stringer/Axios
San Antonio mayor-elect Gina Ortiz Jones tells Axios she's not waiting to be sworn in to start tackling issues like a potential new Spurs arena, an expected budget deficit and the impact of Trump administration policies.
Why it matters: The nonpartisan mayor's race became distinctly about politics as it drew money and influence from across Texas and the country. Now that it's over, Ortiz Jones must tackle the reality of everyday issues facing a city on the cusp of pivotal changes.
Catch up quick: Ortiz Jones, who had national Democratic backing, beat out Republican Rolando Pablos 54% to 46%, cementing San Antonio as a reliably blue city.
The big picture: Ortiz Jones will lead San Antonio at a critical time, as officials seek to gain public support for a new downtown Spurs arena that could be surrounded by a sports and entertainment district. Voters could be asked to weigh in on the project as soon as November.
- She will also lead the city through the remaining years of the Trump administration, under which San Antonio has lost millions of dollars in federal funding. The city is also expecting a budget deficit.
What they're saying: "There's no time to waste, and I'm not going to wait until I am actually in the seat, because I think there's a lot of work and conversations we can have now that will be helpful to ensure (it's) as smooth a transition as possible," Ortiz Jones told Axios on Saturday.
- When asked about how she can get things done on a City Council poised to have a starker political divide, she said "I think there's going to be a lot that we can agree on ... I'm quite confident that we'll get to six (votes)."
State of play: Ortiz Jones, who is the first openly gay woman elected San Antonio mayor, served as the Air Force undersecretary in the Biden administration and was twice the Democratic nominee for the 23rd Congressional District.
- She grew up on San Antonio's Far West Side.
Between the lines: Pablos and his supporters appeared to both outraise and outspend Ortiz Jones in the runoff election, campaign finance reports show.
- Pablos got a big boost from the Texas Economic Fund, a political action committee run by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's former political director.
- Ortiz Jones had help from Fields of Change, a national Democratic PAC, and Emily's List.
The bottom line: Ortiz Jones, who takes office June 18, says it was her personal background that helped her break through a crowded mayoral field.
- "I was raised by a single mom and I went on to serve our country. And I think that is very much a San Antonio story," she says.