By Ben Olivo & Rocky Garza Jr.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg easily won his bid for re-election on Saturday night, capturing 61.9% of the vote (92,067 votes), fending off two-time challenger and former councilman Greg Brockhouse, who received 31.5% (46,808 votes).
The lead was so insurmountable, Brockhouse conceded early in the evening. The outright win is unlike the race two years ago, when Brockhouse forced a runoff, which Nirenberg narrowly won.
“Last cycle was a nail-biter and I have seen my fair share of tough elections and electoral battles and runoffs,” Nirenberg said Saturday night at his election watch party at the Backyard on Broadway. “It’s good to have a decisive battle right off the bat.”
In his concession statement, Brockhouse congratulated Nirenberg and his wife Erika, and wished them luck on his third term.
“We have been blessed to serve our city and we are thankful for our family, our friends and every supporter who helped us and voted for us along the way,” Brockhouse said. “I have always said you don’t need to be mayor to make a change in our community. You only have to care. We have cared and gave it our best shot.”
The rematch between Nirenberg and Brockhouse was marked by its lack of drama, as the San Antonio Express-News recently observed. As opposed to 2019, Nirenberg’s strategy of largely ignoring Brockhouse seemed to neutralize the former council member.
“It’s great to get on the business with the third term now and pushing toward implementing a strong economy recovery for the city,” Nirenberg said.
Election results can be viewed here.
Heron Editor Ben Olivo can be reached at 210-421-3932 | ben@saheron.com | @rbolivo on Twitter
Rocky Garza Jr. is a freelance journalist in San Antonio and co-editor of The Ranger at San Antonio College. Follow him at @r0ckssss_ on Twitter
Yep. Many of Brockhouse’s supporters are as vicious as he is; and it’s shattered the local GOP. This election cycle should have told them just how sensitive to domestic abuse San Antonio really is. Cynthia Brehm likewise has shed a lot out of the Republican Party. Despite her past being revealed, one in three Republicans still voted for her to keep the party chair and it is his vocal faction that has currently kept control. It meant Nirumberg didn’t have anything to challenge him; and Brockhouse is tired to local businesses and the churches in a way no one else in the GOP can match. He’s really all they have, and he might well keep running for election and with it push the GOP further and further into the ground.