After listening to almost 70 candidates speak over the course of over four hours on Sunday, January 28, the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio have released their full list of endorsements for the March 6 primary.
The conference room at the El Tropicano Hotel, where the candidate forum was held, was filled to near-capacity with political hopefuls, media representatives, interested observers and Stonewall members who would, at the end of the day, vote on the endorsements.
Ahead of the event, Stonewall had already released a list of 16 “friendly incumbent endorsements” of candidates who are running for re-election and who are proven LGBT allies. This list included Congressmen Joaquin Castro and Lloyd Doggett; State Reps. Diego Bernal and Justin Rodriguez; County Judge Nelson Wolff; and County Commissioner Tommy Calvert.
In order to be eligible for a Stonewall endorsement, candidates had to complete a questionnaire and speak at the forum or send a representative to speak for them.
Candidates were given two minutes to speak and two minutes to answer questions. Despite efforts to keep the agenda on schedule, speakers often went into overtime making for a long day of political discourse.
Mario Bravo, candidate for County Commissioner, Pct. 2.
One of the most interesting aspects of the Stonewall endorsements are the incumbents who were not endorsed. Challengers were given the nod in the races for District Attorney, County Commissioner Pct. 2, and Bexar County Democratic Party Chair.
Of the two LGBT candidates running for Governor of Texas, Stonewall gave their endorsement to former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez over Dallas businessman Jeffrey Payne. Rosie Gonzalez, the only LGBT candidate running for a local judgeship (County Court-at-Law No. 13), was also endorsed.
In two races, State Representative District 116 and District Judge 226th Judicial District, Stonewall did not endorse one candidate but offered a “favorable” notation to two candidates who they felt were equally worthy of consideration.
The last day to register to vote in the March 6 primary is February 5. Early voting begins on February 20 and ends on March 2. Check out the Bexar County elections website for more information.
(Check out our Facebook album with more photos of this event.)
Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio Endorsements
United States Senator
Beto O’Rourke
United States Representative, District 20
Joaquin Castro
United States Representative, District 21
Derrick Crowe
United States Representative, District 23
Gina Ortiz-Jones
Unites States Representative, District 28
No Endorsement
United States Representative, District 35
Lloyd Doggett
Governor
Lupe Valdez
Lieutenant Governor
Mike Collier
Attorney General
No Endorsement
Comptroller of Public Accounts
Joi Chevalier
Commissioner of the General Land Office
Tex Morgan
Commissioner of Agriculture
No Endorsement
Railroad Commissioner
No Endorsement
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 2
Steven Kirkland
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 4
R.K. Sandill
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 6
Kathy Cheng
Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals
Maria T. (Terri) Jackson
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 7
Ramona Franklin
Member, State Board of Education, District 3
Marisa B. Perez
State Senator, District 25
Steven Kling
State Representative, District 116
Diana Arevalo and Trey Martinez-Fischer (Favorable)
State Representative, District 117
No Endorsement
State Representative, District 118
No Endorsement
State Representative, District 119
Roland Gutierrez
State Representative, District 120
Barbara Gervin-Hawkins
State Representative, District 121
Celina D. Montoya
State Representative, District 122
Claire Barnett
State Representative, District 123
Diego Bernal
State Representative, District 124
Ina Minjarez
State Representative, District 125
Justin Rodriguez
Justice, 4th Court of Appeals, Place 2
Beth Watkins
Justice, 4th Court of Appeals, Place 3
Patricia O’Connell Alvarez
Justice, 4th Court of Appeals, Place 4
Luz Elena Chapa
Justice, 4th Court of Appeals, Place 5
Liza Rodriguez
Justice, 4th Court of Appeals, Place 7
Rebeca Martinez
District Judge, 45th Judicial District
Mary Lou Alvarez
District Judge, 144th Judicial District
Ray J. Olivarri
District Judge, 150th Judicial District
Monique Diaz
District Judge, 187th Judicial District
Stephanie R. Boyd
District Judge, 225th Judicial District
Peter Sakai
District Judge, 226th Judicial District
Joel Perez and Velia J. Meza (Favorable)
District Judge, 285th Judicial District
Aaron Haas
District Judge, 288th Judicial District
Cynthia Marie Chapa
District Judge, 289th Judicial District
Carlos Quezada
District Judge, 290th Judicial District
Jennifer Peña
Criminal District Attorney
Joe Gonzales
County Judge
Nelson W. Wolff
Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 1
Helen Petry Stowe
Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 2
No Endorsement
Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 3
David J. Rodriguez
Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 4
Alfredo Ximenez
Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 5
No Endorsement
Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 7
Michael De Leon
Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 8
No Endorsement
Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 9
Gloria Saldaña
Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 10
J. Frank Davis
Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 12
Yolanda Huff
Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 13
Rosie Gonzalez
Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 14
Carlo Key
Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 15
Cesar Garcia
Judge, County Probate Court-at-Law No. 1
Oscar Kazen
Judge, County Probate Court-at-Law No. 2
Veronica Vasquez
District Clerk
Larry Romo
County Clerk
Tim Ybarra
County Commissioner, Pct. 2
Mario Bravo
Justice of the Peace, Pct. 1, Place 1
Robert “Bobby” Tejeda
Justice of the Peace, Pct. 1, Place 2
Ciro D. Rodriguez
Justice of the Peace, Pct. 4, Place 1
Rogelio “Roger” Lopez, Jr.
County Democratic Party Chair
Monica Ramirez Alcantara
