On May 3, Gina Ortiz Jones and Rolando Pablos advanced to the June 7, 2025, mayoral runoff election in San Antonio, Texas. Twenty-seven candidates ran in the nonpartisan general election on May 3. Beto Altamirano, John Courage, Adriana Garcia, Melissa Cabello Havrda, Ortiz Jones, Pablos, Manny Pelaez, and Clayton Perry were notable candidates based on media attention, polling, and endorsements.

Incumbent Ron Nirenberg, elected in June 2017, was term-limited. Though the office was nonpartisan, Nirenberg joined the Democratic Party in 2024 and was previously an independent.

This was the city’s first mayoral election in 16 years without an incumbent on the ballot. In San Antonio, one candidate must win at least 50% of the vote to be elected outright. Ortiz Jones and Pablos received 27.2% and 16.6% of the vote, respectively, advancing to the June 7, 2025, runoff election.

Heading into the election, the San Antonio Report said the new mayor and city council would need to navigate “multiple city-shaping economic development efforts like a downtown stadium for the Missions baseball team and a possible relocation of the Spurs to Hemisfair … [as well as] challenges of housing affordability, public safety and infrastructure, to name a few.”

A University of Texas at San Antonio poll released in March 2025 had Ortiz Jones and Courage polling at 9% and 8%, respectively, while Pelaez, Cabello Havrda, Altamirano, Garcia, and Perry all polled between 3% and 6%. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 3.8% and 683 likely voters responded. According to KENS 5, “One of the main takeaways from the survey is that many voters are not sure who they support or don’t know who is running just two months out from the election. About 35% of voters are undecided and 20% are unfamiliar with any of the 27 candidates running.”

According to the San Antonio Report, Courage, Garcia, Cabello Havrda, and Pelaez had “relatively liberal social views and a pro-business ideology.” Altamirano and Ortiz Jones were affiliated with the Democratic Party, while Pablos and Perry identified themselves as conservative candidates.

Lawmakers, former judges, and organizations made notable endorsements, including: Progressive Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez for Cabello Havrda; former Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff (D) for Altamirano; Gov. Greg Abbott-affiliated PAC, The Texas Economic Fund, for Pablos; and Emily’s List and Annie’s List for Ortiz Jones.