In a stacked race for the District 2 council seat, Jalen McKee-Rodriguez received 26.1% of the total vote, or 2,259 votes, in Saturday’s municipal election, as incumbent Councilwoman Jada Andrews-Sullivan trailed with 16.8%, or 1,439 votes—ensuring a run-off on June 5 between the two.
“We are so grateful and humbled,” McKee-Rodriguez told the Heron in a text. “Every other year, candidates ask the district for votes. For over 2,000 people to cast their votes is a huge show of trust and I don’t take that lightly.”
Andrews-Sullivan, an Army veteran, is running for her second term. In 2019, she won the District 2 run-off against former San Antonio councilman Keith Toney by 268 votes. Andrews-Sullivan, who did not respond to interview requests from the Heron on Saturday night, is the fifth person to hold the District 2 seat in the last seven years.
McKee-Rodriguez, a math teacher at Madison High School and former communications director for Andrew-Sullivan’s 2019 campaign for City Council, has out-raised the other 11 candidates on the District 2 ballot, including Andrews-Sullivan, with $30,682 total since April 23, according to campaign finance reports.
District 2, which stretches from the inner East Side of San Antonio towards Randolph Air Force Base, is experiencing increasing housing and business development, particularly in the near-downtown neighborhoods of Government Hill, Dignowity Hill and Denver Heights. McKee-Rodriguez campaigned on San Antonio housing issues, including wanting to establish a “more accurate” area median income, according to his campaign website.
Also concerning East Side residents is crime, street lighting, according to a recent report from the Express News. The candidates’ opinions vary on how best to address crime and police. Some outrightly support Proposition B, a city proposition repealing the right of San Antonio Police Officers Association (SAPOA) from collectively bargaining with the city for their labor contracts, particularly with hiring and firing. Supporters of the proposition, including McKee-Rodriguez, say repealing SAPOA’s collective bargaining will keep officers fired for misconduct off the street.
Over 50,000 people turned out to vote in person Saturday, the largest in a May election in the last 10 years, as reported by the Express News.
Another challenger, Norris Tyrone Darden, finished third with 13.9%, or 1,191 votes.
Elections results can be viewed here.
Setting It Straight: A former version of this article misspelled the name of former councilman Keith Toney.
Gaige Davila is the editor of the Port Isabel-South Padre Press and South Padre Parade, based in Port Isabel, and former Heron staff writer. Follow him at @GaigeDavila on Twitter. Contact the Heron at hello@saheron.com | @sanantonioheron on Twitter | Facebook