Highlights from the San Antonio Mayoral Debate

On a recent Tuesday evening, eight candidates vying for the position of mayor in San Antonio gathered for a pivotal debate hosted by the San Antonio Report and the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. With the election set for May 3, the debate offered a platform for candidates to articulate their visions and address pressing city issues. Here are some notable quotes from the event.

Noteworthy Quotes from the Candidates

“I’m here today … not to go ahead and convince you to vote for me for mayor, as much as I’m here to convince you not to vote for somebody who shouldn’t be mayor.”
— John Courage, City Councilman (District 9), emphasizing the importance of informed voting decisions.

“My parents only went to first and second grade in Mexico. They still only speak Spanish. Yet by the third grade, I was in [gifted and talented]. By Southwest High School, I was the president of the National Honor Society, I was the president of student council, and I was a dance team captain.”
— Adriana Rocha Garcia, City Councilwoman (District 4), sharing her academic journey and personal background.

“It hasn’t been easy. I worked in restaurants, washed dishes, served tables. That’s actually how I met Laura, my wife; I was serving tables and they sat her in my section.”
— Rolando Pablos, former Texas Secretary of State, discussing his work experience.

“The reality is, even if we had a different president, or a different governor, we’d still have over half the kids in our community not reading at level, math skills not at level. We’d still have 95,000 folks who are housing insecure in our community.”
— Gina Ortiz Jones, former Air Force Under Secretary, acknowledging persistent community challenges.

“Compassion and equity are buzzwords that are thrown around a lot, and I can’t say that working now for my beautiful city, my hometown, that I always see compassion and equity.”
— Melissa Cabello Havrda, City Councilwoman (District 6), critiquing local equity efforts.

Candidates on City Challenges

“I had to go to my community and explain … ‘I know you want your slice of pizza equivalent to everybody else’s slice of pizza, but we’ve committed a crime over the past 100 years in the city that needs to be addressed, and that is the crime of disinvestment and redlining.’”
— Manny Pelaez, City Councilman (District 8), on addressing historical inequities through revised budgeting.

“They literally walked out and said, ‘This is one of the most valuable experiences I’ve ever had.’”
— Pelaez discussing a recent information session he hosted.

“I trust City Manager Erik Walsh. I trust him with my life.”
— John Courage, discussing the need for transparency in city governance.

“I think it’s a good thing that I would be able to get an audience with our governor.”
— Rolando Pablos, suggesting collaboration with state leaders.

Personal Reflections and Commitments

“Economic empowerment through education is what I’d like to be known for.”
— Adriana Rocha Garcia, on her envisioned legacy as mayor.

“I’ve been called a lot of things in this race. I’ve been called unbecoming. I’ve been called too aggressive. I make no apologies for that. Don’t you want a mayor with spine?”
— Melissa Cabello Havrda, asserting her assertive leadership style in her closing remarks.

Discussion on Economic Development

“It was Governor Abbott who brought all of those jobs here.”
— Rolando Pablos, highlighting state-led job growth.

“We’re missing too many opportunities. We need a cheerleader.”
— Clayton Perry, expressing the need for proactive economic engagement.

“Anybody who tells you that we are missing out on economic development has no idea what they’re talking about.”
— Manny Pelaez affirming recent economic advancements.

Concluding Remarks

The debate encapsulated a range of critical issues facing San Antonio, as candidates showcased their plans and perspectives. With the election coming up, voters are encouraged to carefully consider each candidate’s stance on these important topics.

Watch the Full Debate

Contributed by Andrea Drusch, Xochilt Garcia, Lindsey Carnett, and Leigh Munsil.