Two major Texas cities will keep their Democratic credentials after Saturday’s mayoral runoff elections in Dallas and San Antonio.
In San Antonio, incumbent Mayor Ron Nirenberg defeated conservative challenger and city councilman Greg Brockhouse.
In Dallas, where two Democrats faced off, State Rep. Eric Johnson bested city councilman Scott Griggs.
The mayoral race in San Antonio was of particular state-wide interest after Brockhouse vowed to unseat Nirenberg because he and a progressive-dominated city council voted to pass on hosting the 2020 Republican National Convention, as well as voted to prevent a Chick-fil-A from doing business at a local airport because of its previous anti-LGBTQ sentiment.
“San Antonians showed that Trump-style politics has no place in their beautiful city,” Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement. “They showed us that what unites us is stronger than what separates us and strong, compassionate leadership will always emerge victorious over politics defined by hate and extremism.
In the Dallas mayor’s race, business-backed Johnson managed to beat out the more progressive challenger Griggs to replace outgoing Mayor Mike Rawlings.
“Johnson’s election culminates a remarkable political achievement,” the Dallas Morning News noted Saturday night. “He emerged as a surprise candidate earlier this year as the Legislative session began, then he stormed his way to the top of a nine-person race to ultimately defeat a veteran council member.”
Both mayors appear to have beaten their opponents with a strong lead.
Houston’s mayoral race is still almost five months away, but things are already heating up with the recent entry of city councilman Dwight Boykins into the race. Boykins held his official campaign kickoff Saturday in Houston.
Fernando covers Texas politics and government at the Texas Signal. Before joining the Signal, Fernando spent two years at the Houston Chronicle and previously interned at Houston’s NPR station News 88.7. He is a graduate of the University of Houston, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication, and enjoys reading, highlighting things, and arguing on social media. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93 or email at fernando@texassignalarchive.com
