San Antonio elections are in the national spotlight. We should start getting used to it.
Ahead of the local election on May 1, and with early voting now in full swing, you’ve likely noticed an unusual amount of prominent non-locals coming out in support of San Antonio candidates and propositions.
Earlier this week, Sen. Bernie Sanders — emerging like Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog Day forecasting progressivism — tweeted an endorsement of two S.A. City Council contendors: District 5 candidate Teri Castillo and San Antonio ISD’s District 4 runner Luke Amphlett.
On April 22, Houston rap icon Bun B announced his support for local progressives Teri Castillo and Jalen Mckee-Rodriguez, both of whom are running in District 2.
El Paso politician Beto O’Rourke recently urged voters to vote yes on ballot item Proposition B, calling for the repeal of the San Antonio Police Association’s collective bargaining abilities, which loosens the force’s ability to protect officers accused of misconduct.
It’s exciting that our city is getting all this high-profile attention, but why are our local politics now drawing the gaze of the public eye?
In recent years, San Antonio has increasingly tilted blue. While Republican George W. Bush swept Bexar County in both his presidential runs, according to an expert at UTSA, the 2016 General Election saw the widest margin of victory — favoring the Democrats — in nearly three decades in county. This is a big deal in a state that has been dominantly red for decades.
Other rends are signaling the Lone Star state could flip, and may explain this new interest in bolstering progressive ideas and candidates in Texas.
READ MORE: San Antonio police union responds after Coach Pop pops off about Prop B
O’Rourke’s grassroots bid in 2018 against Sen. Ted Cruz was the closest a Democratic candidate got to toppling a Republican since 1978, according to the Texas Tribune, and brought national attention (and money) to his senatorial campaign. The recent headline-grabbing failures of Texas Republican leaders like Gov. Greg Abbott and Cruz, notably Texas’ during February’s devastating winter storm, could be another reason for the recent swell against conservatives in power.
Though in 2020, it’s also true that President Donald Trump received 40 percent of Hispanic votes in the state, a demographic Texas houses in spades and one the Sanders campaign incorrectly anticipated would secure him the 2020 bid. But still, Biden won the 59 percent of the Hispanic vote in Texas, pushing it into decidedly purple territory.
It seems that, at least nationally, people are sensing (or perhaps willing) the shift. Politicians like Sanders, O’Rourke, and Stacey Abrams are shining a spotlight on the importance of local politics and grassroots movements, prompting celebs and big-name politicos to focus in on seemingly “small” local issues to push the proverbial pendulum in their direction.
San Antonians should be excited about the buzz surrounding our city’s May 1 general election, and use it as an opportunity to read up on the issues and candidates that affect our everyday lives. Though we’re the seventh largest city in the nation, San Antonio has an underdog complex, and rightfully so. It’s easy to feel overlooked in a state that is also home to Dallas, Houston, and, yes, even Austin.
With early voting underway, it’s time to exercise out civic duty and get out the vote. After all, the nation is watching.
Camille Sauers is a freelance writer based in San Antonio. Follow her on twitter @camillesaccount. Send her emails to [email protected].
