Former Mayor Ron Nirenberg challenges Peter Sakai
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Former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg made it official on Saturday: He's running to replace Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai.
Why it matters: Nirenberg's announcement sets up a blockbuster Democratic primary that could cause local party infighting as Democrats nationally are seeking to unify ahead of the midterm elections.
What they're saying: In prepared remarks on Saturday, Nirenberg said the city and county sometimes duplicate efforts, competing for the same affordable housing dollars, for example.
- "The cities and county work best when they work together — but right
now, they're too often rowing in opposite directions," he said. - "We need leadership that aligns us and gets us rowing in the same direction."
The other side: "At one point Ron's bags were packed for DC. At one point he was running for Governor, then Senator," Sakai previously said in a Facebook post.
- "It's clear Ron never found the greener pastures he dreamed of. I, on the other hand, am not searching for something to do. We're doing it."
Flashback: Before President Trump won the November 2024 election, Nirenberg was widely seen as a potential Cabinet nominee for then-President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris, should either have won the White House.
Between the lines: When that didn't pan out, he considered a statewide run for governor or lieutenant governor. Those would have been taxing, long-shot campaigns.
- The office of county judge, the county's chief executive, represents the hyper-local government that Nirenberg is used to.
Reality check: Sakai and Nirenberg appear to have a lot in common when it comes to their policy. It remains to be seen how they will campaign against each other.
- Democrats have the edge countywide. Only one Republican has held the post of Bexar County judge in recent memory.
The intrigue: Both Nirenberg and Sakai supported county funding for a downtown Spurs arena that voters approved this month. As mayor, Nirenberg helped lead the charge.
- When talks of a new arena first became public, Sakai was left in the dark about plans for the team to leave the county-owned Frost Bank Center. Sakai eventually supported the move by focusing on how to revitalize the East Side.
By the numbers: Nirenberg enjoyed a higher approval rating and name recognition than Sakai when both held public office.
- In an April poll, 56% of voters strongly or somewhat approved of the job Nirenberg was doing. That was 40% for Sakai.
- About a quarter (25%) of those polled said they were not sure how Sakai was doing or had never heard of him. That was closer to 7% for Nirenberg.
- The poll from the UT San Antonio Center for Public Opinion Research had a margin of error of ±3.7%.
State of play: Nirenberg reached his term limits this year after having served eight years as mayor, the longest of any mayor since Henry Cisneros in the 1980s. He's been teaching in the communications department at his alma mater Trinity University since August.
- Sakai was first elected county judge in 2022, after longtime County Judge Nelson Wolff retired. Sakai previously worked as judge of the Bexar County Children's Court and a state district judge.
What's next: The filing deadline for primary candidates is Dec. 8.
- Primary election day is March 3.