Will Endorsements Influence City Voters in 2025 Elections?
After taking a brief look into the possible impact of “dark money” last week, in the upcoming municipal elections, we bringing a new question to readers – what’s the impact of “endorsements?”
Here’s how some races are shaping up:
Mayor Endorses City Council Candidates
Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who has termed out after eight years, has recently taken the step of endorsing two city council candidates – incumbent District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and candidate Ivalis Meza Gonzalez, who is vying for the open Northside seat, in District 8.
Meza-Gonzalez was, at one time, the mayor’s chief of staff. The mayor’s current chief of staff Zack Lyke, has said that the mayor is also backing other city council candidates, though he’s leaving it up to their campaigns to make those announcements.
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Council Member Endorses Cabello Havrda For Mayor
Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez has announced his support, in the upcoming mayoral race, for former council colleague Melissa Cabello Havrda. The announcement was made, at Woodlawn Park, prior to a block walking event, hosted by Cabello Havrda’s campaign. Per his remarks, McKee-Rodriguez said:
There’s not a single person in this race I trust more to guide our city forward, with kindness, thoughtfulness, compassion and willingness to collaborate than Melissa.
It just so happens that there are three other former City Council members, in the race for the mayor’s seat.
Former Bexar County Judge Wolff Endorses “Beto” for Mayor
Former Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff challenges, who served twenty – one years, has recently given his endorsement, for Mayor, to newcomer Alberto “Beto” Altamirano, whom he related “is similar to (former mayor Henry Cisneros). Altamirano, reportedly began his career, as an entrepreneur, securing a startup contract, with two other partners back in 2017. Altamirano, in a campaign launch speech, has said that:
I’m not a politician. I’m an entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, I learned to get things done. As a small business owner, I learned to find solutions to the challenges ahead, to roll up my sleeves and get to work.” The candidate plans to focus on “public safety for all residents, maintaining and growing our infrastructure and creating economic conditions that provide opportunities for everyone to work and provide for their families. It’s about taking care of the basics while keeping an eye towards the future.
In this space, we allow that endorsements will come, regardless the sources. There must also be strategies, from individual campaigns, to allow voters to learn where their candidates stand, on the important issues facing voters, and to learn what plans have candidates created, to address citizen’s concerns.
We reiterate, again, that elections have benefits and consequences. We trust that voters would prefer the former, as opposed to the latter. Will these candidates running ask for your vote? Time will tell.
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