Stonewall Democrats Announce Endorsements for March Primary

Stonewall co-chair Ellen Stephens and Gina Ortiz Jones candidate for Texas 23rd Congressional District. (Photos by Sam Sanchez)

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

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