San Antonio just made history and queer history at that. Over the weekend, Air Force veteran Gina Ortiz Jones was elected mayor of San Antonio, Texas, becoming the city’s first out LGBTQ person and third woman ever to hold the office. She defeated conservative Rolando Pablos in a hotly contested runoff election Saturday night. Speaking to supporters at a jubilant victory rally, Jones said,
“It was my name on the ballot… but you and I know decency was on the ballot, kindness was on the ballot, compassion was on the ballot, and San Antonio showed up and showed out…I look forward to being a mayor for all.”
The race turned ugly at times. Pablos, backed by anti-LGBTQ Governor Greg Abbott, accused Jones of using her middle name “Ortiz” to pander to Latino voters, even though she is proudly Filipino-American. Jones fired back, calling his remarks racist, and also brought a transgender Air Force drill instructor, Brandon, to the stage, calling out anti-trans executive orders that are forcing him out of service.
She told the crowd,
“Leadership matters. Leaders do three things: They create opportunities, they protect opportunities, or they erase opportunities… It’s unfortunate that the United States Air Force is not going to benefit from your talents because of bigotry.”
A first-generation American raised in subsidized housing, Jones is no stranger to adversity. She served in Iraq under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” came out at 15, and rose to become Under Secretary of the Air Force under President Biden, managing a $173 billion budget and leading 600,000 personnel.
She’s also a two-time congressional candidate and has worked in national security for nearly 15 years, including under President Obama. Through it all, Jones has stressed the power of representation and responsible leadership.
As the first out LGBTQ+ mayor of one of America’s largest cities, Gina Ortiz Jones is already leading by example.
