After latest hypothesis that former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg may run for governor or one other state-level workplace, native political observers say he as an alternative might be mulling a run towards Bexar County Decide Peter Sakai within the 2026 Democratic major.
What’s extra, the chances are in Nirenberg’s favor, in line with new polling information.
A survey by San Antonio-based Democratic strategist Christian Archer exhibits Nirenberg profitable by a 52%-26% landslide in a theoretical major matchup towards Sakai, who’s approaching the tip of his first time period.
“That’s a shocking quantity,” Archer informed the Present.
“I don’t know if Ron’s going to get in [the race], however I might additionally say that if he determined to run for county decide, he’s clearly properly positioned to run and win a Democratic major,” Archer added. “I feel that working for county decide might be […] the almost definitely situation for Ron.”
The Present reached out to each Nirenberg and Sakai for remark however obtained no response by press time Tuesday afternoon.
Although hypothesis has swirled that Nirenberg may mount a bid for governor, the previous mayor would face lengthy odds towards incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott and his $86.1 million struggle chest. Certainly, no Democrat has received a statewide workplace in Texas since 1994.
“While you type of take a look at the sector and also you take a look at what’s occurring statewide, to me it makes lots of sense that if [Nirenberg] was severe about working for county decide, the proof is within the numbers,” Archer mentioned concerning the former mayor’s double-digit lead.
“That’s not only a lead — that’s a press release,” mentioned San Antonio lawyer Louis Escareno mentioned in a Tuesday Fb put up by which he shared the ballot numbers.
Archer mentioned that since Escareno’s Fb put up, he’s acquired a slew of emails concerning the survey, which he hasn’t even shared with Nirenberg but.
Archer, who labored on campaigns for former mayors Phil Hardberger and Nelson Wolff, says he obtained the info by polling 300 probably Democratic major voters with a margin of error of 5.66%.
“We had been within the discipline for 5 days to get the pattern dimension,” Archer mentioned.
Pollsters collected approval scores for each Nirenberg and Sakai in addition to Sheriff Javier Salazar to make the survey seem much less skewed towards one candidate or one other, he added.
Democratic voters gave Nirenberg an approval score of 87% following his 4 phrases as mayor of San Antonio, a fully exceptional stage of recognition, in line with Archer.
In contrast, Sakai’s approval score in his first time period as County Decide stands at 51%.
“For the incumbent decide within the Democratic major, that’s fairly gentle,” Archer mentioned. Nevertheless, solely 6% of respondents mentioned they disapproved of Sakai’s efficiency.
“Christian Archer’s newest ballot confirms what lots of of us have been saying quietly throughout San Antonio: the present Bexar County Decide’s tenure has been … underwhelming,” Escareno mentioned in his Fb put up.
“Look, we’ve obtained lots of issues going through the town and the county proper now, clearly with Mission Marvel, with a giant price range deficit for the town,” Archer mentioned. “I feel that you simply actually wish to hear out of your leaders, you really need them actively engaged in Mission Marvel and on the market actually swinging the bat.”
Archer shared the ballot as Bexar County grapples with a backlog of 52,000 unprocessed voter registrations beneath Sakai’s watch. Sakai and Bexar County Commissioners Court docket oversee the county Elections Division.
Sakai was in Japan for 2 weeks on a tour to gin up funding in Bexar County whereas the present voter registration backlog on the county reached disaster ranges, his social media posts present. Sakai made the same journey in the summertime of 2024, per his publication.
“For these of us who observe the ‘phrase on the road,’ this [poll result] strains up with what we’ve been listening to: frustration with lackluster management, sluggish decision-making, and poor negotiating outcomes — notably on high-stakes points just like the proposed Spurs area deal and the unsure way forward for the county amenities the group would abandon,” Escareno added in his put up.
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An nameless staffer additionally reported traumatic situations contained in the division, together with 12-hour shifts and seven-day work weeks.
Decide Peter Sakai and Elections Administrator Michele Carew say all shall be processed in time for October’s Early Voting.
The decide additionally inspired donors to stay to monetary contributions slightly than meals and different items.
