SAN ANTONIO – KSAT’s “3 Questions” series features interviews with mayoral candidates in the May 3, 2025, election.
KSAT anchor Steve Spriester invited all 27 candidates in the mayoral election to answer the same set of three questions:
- Why are you running for mayor?
- What’s the most important issue facing San Antonio?
- Why are you uniquely qualified to be the next mayor of San Antonio?
Of those invited, the following 22 candidates agreed to be interviewed.
In Texas, municipal elections — including San Antonio’s mayor and city council elections — are nonpartisan, meaning candidates are not affiliated with political parties.
Click their names to watch the full interviews (candidates are listed in the order they appear on the ballot):
- He identifies poverty as the most significant issue facing San Antonio, noting that the poverty rate has remained unchanged since 1967. He believes tackling poverty is essential to addressing related issues such as homelessness, crime, and under-education.
- Has experience in government, small business, and corporate America. He emphasizes the need for collaboration among city council members to focus on the welfare of San Antonians.
- Believes San Antonio’s best days are ahead, and he wants to create a safe environment for families to thrive.
- Supports small businesses, which he views as the lifeblood of the local economy.
- Identifies poverty as a significant issue facing San Antonio, noting that 20% of the population lives at or below the poverty level. Wants to address poverty problems that have been historically ignored.
- Has a background in education and real estate development which he says has made him actively involved in community organizations.
- He identifies transparency as the most important issue facing San Antonio, criticizing the local government for handling matters behind the scenes and not involving the public in decision-making processes.
- Wants to take action against increased crime and poverty by improving the relationship between local officials and San Antonians.
- Became homeless after her apartment became uninhabitable due to sewer problems, motivating her to pursue a run for mayor with housing issues as a main concern.
- Says the presence of third-party companies managing affordable housing is a significant issue, criticizing them for creating substandard living conditions.
- Believes her experience as a nanny has equipped her with the skills to understand different personalities and bring people together, which she sees as essential for effective leadership as mayor.
- Believes the Democratic Party does not serve the interests of San Antonio and he hopes to fix what he believes is a flawed political system.
- He named unfinished construction projects as the most pressing issue facing San Antonio, criticizing the city for its inability to manage infrastructure effectively.
- Wants to ensure that San Antonio remains a place where future generations can prosper.
- Emphasizes the need to grow the local economy to prevent residents from having to move to other cities for employment opportunities.
- Says his diverse background, which includes serving as a mail carrier, a public school teacher, a university professor, and his work with the Department of Defense gives him a unique perspective.
- Served as a councilman for nearly 8 years, believes the city should aspire to be the safest in the country.
- Is a chairman for the Brooks City Base and served as the General Counsel for the Bexar County Battered Women and Children Shelter for over 20 years.
- Says the city is lacking the optimism to believe in its potential to solve problems like public safety and housing.
- Worked with USAA, where he says he dealt with individuals in catastrophic situations, preparing him to understand and address the needs of the community effectively.
- Identifies citizen safety as the most important issue facing San Antonio, highlighting concerns about rising violence, including drive-by shootings and police-involved incidents.
- Proposes the Second River Walk Project, which aims to extend the River Walk to South Mission San Juan and create an eco-friendly tourist attraction.
- Believes that focusing on community needs and reallocating funding to effective projects will help alleviate common urban challenges.
- Emphasizes the importance of building better relationships with the community and creating sensible projects that address local issues, including homelessness.
- Identifies education as the most critical issue for San Antonio, linking it to economic prosperity and housing stability.
- Emphasizes the importance of stable housing for a healthy community.
- As the former president of the San Antonio Housing Trust and serving on the board of the San Antonio Education Partnership, she advocates for increased representation of women in leadership positions.
- Draws on her experiences as a first-generation American and her background in public service as the Under Secretary of the Air Force.
- Has outlined a plan for her first 100 days in office, focusing on improving education, housing security, and the need for transparency in government.
- Highlights her management experience with a $173 billion budget and 600,000 personnel.
- Served three terms as a city councilman and retired as a lieutenant colonel after 21 years in the U.S. Air Force.
- Emphasizes his familiarity with the system, the bureaucracy, and the community.
- Identified crime as the most important issue facing San Antonio, noting that residents express concerns about safety and the inability to walk down the street without fear.
- Served in the City Council for eight years and has a military and teaching background.
- Believes he is uniquely qualified to be mayor due to his experience as a councilman for District 9, citing his successful re-election with 63% of the vote in his district.
- Identifies the potential loss of federal jobs and funding as a significant issue facing San Antonio. He also highlights public safety, housing, and the need for better-paying jobs as ongoing concerns.
- Expresses a desire to address poverty by managing the city by ZIP codes and implementing a scorecard system to track improvements in the most affected areas.
- Wants to revitalize the local economy and ensure that residents can thrive without having to leave the city for better opportunities.
- Has a military background and leadership roles in various chambers of commerce.
- Believes he is uniquely qualified to be mayor due to his background in the U.S. Navy, experience as a union president and advocation for workers’ rights.
- Supports local services, including the police and fire departments. Wants to address homelessness and crime.
- Positions himself an independent candidate with a background in the oil industry.
- Wants to address ongoing construction issues downtown, which he believes negatively impacts both residents and tourists. He aims to make housing more affordable by freezing property taxes.
- Emphasizes the need for a plan to help the homeless and improve public safety by increasing the number of well-paid police officers.
- Is a political outsider having never pursued a political career before. He says he wants to give the city back to its residents.
- Believes transparency is the most important issue facing San Antonio, emphasizing the need to address the actions and decisions made by city officials.
- Has a background in public sector roles and launched a company named Yris to address local infrastructure issues.
- Lists the biggest issues facing San Antonio as economic development, low-paying jobs, public safety, and infrastructure.
- Has conducted a listening tour to hear residents’ frustrations and believes that addressing crime and improving infrastructure should be top priorities for the city.
- Is concerned about the significant rise in property values, which he says have increased over 100% in the past decade.
- Believes he is uniquely qualified to be mayor due to his experience running a small business for 19 years, which he says has allowed him to serve and understand the needs of the community.
- Asks for City Hall to work as hard as residents do in raising families and growing businesses.
- Says lack of affordable housing is the most important issue facing San Antonio. Wants to increase housing stock and provide options for families, including young people returning home after education.
- Believes her work as councilwoman for District 6 makes her qualified to fight for the community’s needs.
- Believes his perspective as someone who has experienced the city’s education system and private sector makes him a strong candidate for mayor.
- Identifies the lack of economic diversification as a significant concern, arguing that it leads to stagnation in wages and inadequate educational partnerships with the private sector.
- Wants to address the economic issues facing the city, which he believes are at the root of various problems, including public safety and infrastructure.
- Positions himself as a nonpartisan candidate, stating that he does not belong to any political party and believes local government should operate in a bipartisan manner to effectively serve the community.
- Sees homelessness, animal control, and affordable housing as significant issues facing San Antonio, but he believes that revitalizing tourism is crucial for the city’s economy.
- Worked for the Department of Defense and served 24 years in the U.S. Army.
If no one receives at least 50% of the vote in the May 3 election, the top two finishers will head to a June 7 runoff election.
All City Council seats are also on the ballot. Voters in municipalities other than San Antonio also have races to consider, as do voters in nine local school districts.
>> 🗳 FULL BALLOT: May 3 joint general, special, charter and bond election in Bexar County
Editor’s note: This story used AI to transcribe and create bullet points summarizing each candidate’s interview. All content was reviewed and edited by KSAT staff before it was published.
Important dates in the May 3 joint general, special and bond election:
- Jan. 1: First day to apply for a ballot by mail.
- April 3: Last day to register to vote (postmarked).
- April 22: Last day to apply for a ballot by mail (received).
- April 22-April 29: Early voting period.
- May 3: Election Day; polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Click here to check if you are registered to vote in the May 3 election.
Find more election coverage on KSAT.com/vote.
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