After a high-profile race, Gina Ortiz Jones has been elected as San Antonio’s next mayor. She will succeed Ron Nirenberg.
Although Jones has ample public service experience, serving as mayor will be her first municipal role. She previously served as undersecretary of the Air Force for the Biden administration from 2021 to 2023. Prior to her latest federal government role, she ran as the Democratic nominee for Texas’ 23rd congressional district twice.
In 2016, Jones served as a director in the Office of the United States Trade Representative until her departure in June 2017. Her first government role, following years of active service in the Air Force, was in 2008 as a specialist in the Defense Intelligence Agency. She would later ascend to deputy director of the agency.
Jones will serve as San Antonio’s mayor for a four-year term, a new length of service attributed to a voter-approved amendment in November. Her victory totaled 54.3% of the runoff race votes.
As mayor, Jones will have to contend with an enormous budget deficit in the coming years. Her first priority will be refocusing city resources to benefit affordable housing initiatives, workforce development and expanded pre-k programming.
Her mayoral victory is historic, lauding Jones as the first LGBTQ+ mayor in the city’s history. She has earned a master’s degree in global and international studies from the University of Kansas, a master’s degree in military arts and sciences at the Fort Leavenworth School of Advanced Military Studies and both a master’s degree in economics and a bachelor’s degree in East Asian studies and economics from Boston University.
Photo Courtesy Gina Ortiz Jones
