After months of hinting that he’s set his sights on holding San Antonio’s highest elected office, District 8 City Councilman Manny Pelaez last week announced that he is officially running for mayor.
Pelaez’s business-community support, relatively high name recognition and fundraising capabilities suggest he’s starting with an advantage, San Antonio political strategist Christian Archer said. The question is how long that will last.
“I would say the clear front runner today is Manny Pelaez,” Archer said. “He has probably been the most aggressive. When you turn around at every event, Manny Pelaez is working the room. But when the ballot actually comes around, that’s a different thing.”
Despite having key playing pieces in place, Pelaez carries baggage as a result of political blunders over the past 12 months, according to experts. His about-face on a city council vote over whether to pass an Israel-Palestine ceasefire resolution could bite him in the ass, they argue.
And with the actual election more than a year out, Pelaez isn’t the only council member with eyes on the prize. District 9’s John Courage has already thrown his hat into the ring, and District 4’s Adriana Rocha Garcia and District 6’s Melissa Cabello Havrda are considering runs.