Photo: Tom Reel, Staff / San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio has elected Ron Nirenberg as its new mayor after he did what no candidate has done in two decades: defeat a mayor running for re-election.
Click ahead for things to know about the Alamo City's new mayor.
lessSan Antonio has elected Ron Nirenberg as its new mayor after he did what no candidate has done in two decades: defeat a mayor running for re-election.
Click ahead for things to know about the Alamo City's new ... more
1. Born in 1977 in Boston, he grew up in Austin and later graduated from Trinity University and the University of Pennsylvania.
1. Born in 1977 in Boston, he grew up in Austin and later graduated from Trinity University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Photo: Courtesy
2. He and his wife, Erika Prosper, met while in college in Pennsylvania.
2. He and his wife, Erika Prosper, met while in college in Pennsylvania.
Photo: Billy Calzada, San Antonio Express-News
3. He plays the trombone and favors an eclectic mix of music styles from Elvis Presley and The Doors to Led Zepplin and George Strait.
3. He plays the trombone and favors an eclectic mix of music styles from Elvis Presley and The Doors to Led Zepplin and George Strait.
Photo: JERRY LARA / San Antonio Express-News
4. While at Trinity, he covered sports for the school’s paper The Trinitonian.
4. While at Trinity, he covered sports for the school’s paper The Trinitonian.
Photo: Kin Man Hui /San Antonio Express-News
5. He is credited with bringing rock 'n' roll to Trinity University's KRTU in 1999 during his DJ years. He would later helm the station as general manager.
5. He is credited with bringing rock 'n' roll to Trinity University's KRTU in 1999 during his DJ years. He would later helm the station as general manager.
Photo: Matthew Busch /For The San Antonio Express-News
6. He once dead lifted 600 pounds during a weight lifting competition.
6. He once dead lifted 600 pounds during a weight lifting competition.
Photo: Tom Reel, San Antonio Express-News
7. As a 9-year-old he started his own magazine called “Baseball Monthly.” Bound with masking tape and made of cut out pictures and articles he would sell copies door-to-door in his neighborhood.
7. As a 9-year-old he started his own magazine called “Baseball Monthly.” Bound with masking tape and made of cut out pictures and articles he would sell copies door-to-door in his neighborhood.
Photo: Bob Owen, Staff / San Antonio Express-News
8. He was known for carrying around his signature leather McKlein Lexington briefcase, which he always carried a copy of “Aesop’s Fables,” the San Antonio city charter and a pocket Constitution.
8. He was known for carrying around his signature leather McKlein Lexington briefcase, which he always carried a copy of “Aesop’s Fables,” the San Antonio city charter and a pocket Constitution.
Photo: Juanito M Garza, San Antonio Express-News
9. His first professional briefcase was given to him by his father when he was nine.
9. His first professional briefcase was given to him by his father when he was nine.
Photo: Bob Owen, Staff / San Antonio Express-News
10. He is former program director for the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.
10. He is former program director for the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.
Photo: Tom Reel, San Antonio Express-News
11. He starts every Sunday by sorting laundry and prepping his protein shakes for the week.
11. He starts every Sunday by sorting laundry and prepping his protein shakes for the week.
Photo: JERRY LARA /San Antonio Express-News
12. He is an avid baseball fan and lifelong Boston Red Sox supporter.
12. He is an avid baseball fan and lifelong Boston Red Sox supporter.
Photo: Tom Reel, Staff / San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg talks with his wife, Erika Prosper, as he makes his protein shakes for the week, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin on Saturday. He will take office on June 22.
lessSan Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg talks with his wife, Erika Prosper, as he makes his protein shakes for the week, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a
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San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg gets his son, Jonah, 8, to pitch in with the sorting of laundry, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin on Saturday. He will take office on June 22.
lessSan Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg gets his son, Jonah, 8, to pitch in with the sorting of laundry, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin on
... more
San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg gets his son, Jonah, 8, to pitch in with the sorting of laundry, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin on Saturday. He will take office on June 22.
lessSan Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg gets his son, Jonah, 8, to pitch in with the sorting of laundry, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin on
... more
San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg arrives for services at Colonial Hills United Methodist Church, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin on Saturday. He will take office on June 22. With Nirenberg are his wife, Erika Prosper, right, and his stepmother, Carol Noble.
lessSan Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg arrives for services at Colonial Hills United Methodist Church, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin on
... more
San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg looks at his sons, Jonah, 8, reaction as the family is introduced during services at Colonial Hills United Methodist Church, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. Also with Nirenberg is his stepmother, Carol Noble, left, and his wife, Erika Prosper. On the right is Rev. Diana Phillips, lead pastor at the church.
lessSan Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg looks at his sons, Jonah, 8, reaction as the family is introduced during services at Colonial Hills United Methodist Church, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run
... more
Colonial Hills United Methodist Church Rev. Diana Phillips hugs San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg as congregants leave at the end of services, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin.
lessColonial Hills United Methodist Church Rev. Diana Phillips hugs San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg as congregants leave at the end of services, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against
... more
Colonial Hills United Methodist Church Rev. Diana Phillips expresses her joy for San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg at the end of services, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He will take office on June 22.
lessColonial Hills United Methodist Church Rev. Diana Phillips expresses her joy for San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg at the end of services, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against
... more
San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg enjoys a moment with his son, Jonah, 8, during lunch, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He will take office on June 22. With them is his father, Ken Nirenberg.
lessSan Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg enjoys a moment with his son, Jonah, 8, during lunch, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He will take
... more
San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg enjoys a moment with his son, Jonah, 8, during lunch, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He will take office on June 22. With them is his father, Ken Nirenberg.
lessSan Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg enjoys a moment with his son, Jonah, 8, during lunch, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He will take
... more
San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg takes a call before meeting with his transition team at his house, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He will take office on June 22.
lessSan Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg takes a call before meeting with his transition team at his house, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He
... more
San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg takes a call before meeting with his transition team at his house, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He will take office on June 22. In the kitchen with him are his son, Jonah, 8, and his father, Ken Nirenberg.
lessSan Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg takes a call before meeting with his transition team at his house, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He
... more
San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg takes a call before meeting with his transition team at his house, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He will take office on June 22.
lessSan Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg takes a call before meeting with his transition team at his house, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He
... more
San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg meets with his transition team at his house, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He will take office on June 22.
lessSan Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg meets with his transition team at his house, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He will take office on
... more
San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg meets with his transition team at his house, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He will take office on June 22.
lessSan Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg meets with his transition team at his house, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He will take office on
... more
San Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg meets with his transition team at his house, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He will take office on June 22.
lessSan Antonio Mayor-elect Ron Nirenberg meets with his transition team at his house, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Nirenberg won a run off election against Mayor Ivy Taylor by a 10-point margin. He will take office on
... more
Mayor-elect Nirenberg has hit the ground running
Long before jumping into the mayoral race, Ron Nirenberg was quietly putting into place all of the pieces he needed to succeed in a gamble that most people saw as a losing bet.
On Saturday, he did what no candidate has done in two decades: defeat a mayor running for re-election. It was the first time since Howard Peak defeated Mayor Bill Thornton in 1997 that a challenger would oust an incumbent.
Nirenberg said he began plotting a path to the mayor’s seat when he concluded that Mayor Ivy Taylor was derailing the progress San Antonio had been making.
There had been hints that he was interested in the job. The first came in the summer of 2014, when then-Mayor Julián Castro left to join President Barack Obama’s cabinet. His replacement, per the city charter, had to come from within the ranks of the council. Nirenberg raised his hand, but just a year into his freshman term, couldn’t convince his colleagues to support him.
RELATED: Nirenberg defeats Taylor by large margin
He supported Taylor’s appointment, along with other council members, in part because she said she wouldn’t seek a full mayoral term in 2015. But when she ultimately ran and won election, Nirenberg saw San Antonio tack toward a different course — one that he didn’t think was the right trajectory.
Months before he officially declared his candidacy, Nirenberg posted mid-year fundraising totals in July 2016 that showed he was clearly gearing up to challenge Taylor. He said many warned him that taking on an incumbent was foolish. But Nirenberg saw a path to victory where few others did. He passed on a near-certain re-election to the District 8 seat and rejected the conventional wisdom of not challenging sitting mayors.
Nirenberg said his election was a win for democracy.
“Anybody can do this if they work hard enough,” he said. “Being truly independent isn’t about a party label. It’s who you answer to. And for me, that’s the public.”
On the campaign trail, Nirenberg said he constantly met people who said they were voting for the first time, contributing financially for the first time, or volunteering for the first time. A stalwart supporter of civic engagement, he plans to push for more interaction with the public, including inviting dissenting voices to the table. He’s a proponent of moving the municipal elections to November in order to increase voter participation.
Nirenberg said he worked hard to run a campaign that focused on issues and drawing distinctions between himself and Taylor, doubling down on the idea that a majority of San Antonio wanted change in the mayor’s office. He defeated Taylor 54.6 percent to 45.4 percent.
On Sunday, before a morning church service, he worked on weekly household chores, folding laundry, among other things.
RELATED: Ron Nirenberg's a weight-lifting daddy who loves to rock out
Nirenberg’s wife — Erika Prosper, who was a migrant farmworker until she graduated from high school — said that her husband starts every Sunday by sorting laundry and prepping his protein shakes for the week.
“She always thinks I’m stressed out doing the chores,” Nirenberg said. “But I’m only stressed out if the chores don’t get done.”
Then, they headed to Colonial Hills United Methodist Church, where the mayor-elect received a hero’s welcome. Folks patted him on the back, shook his hand and hugged him as he made his way into the sanctuary. During the service, the Rev. Diana Phillips requested that Nirenberg and his family come to the front. She described her pride to the congregation that their member had been elected mayor, and the Nirenbergs received a standing ovation.
Afterward, the family, including Nirenberg’s father and stepmother, feasted on a sushi lunch — a post-Election Day tradition they’ve kept up ever since 2013 when he first ran for the District 8 seat. The day wasn’t all respite, however. Nirenberg met with a transition team at his home Sunday afternoon to begin sketching out the formation of his administration.
He’s working on putting together a team that will be significantly larger than his council office staff. He’s also formalizing his agenda. Among the priorities for his first 100 days in office are plans to create a strategy for a long-term, comprehensive modern transportation system, and to build a framework for a housing policy that addresses gentrification and reinvestment in communities that doesn’t threaten those who have lived there for generations.
RELATED: Four more new faces complete City Council
And Nirenberg has begun drafting the initial steps for ethics reform. He has called for an independent ethics czar and Ethics Review Board that aren’t controlled by the City Council or the city manager. Still, Nirenberg has a strong relationship with City Manager Sheryl Sculley, whose future appears solid in his administration.
On Sunday evening, the mayor-elect met with Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, who had endorsed Taylor in her re-election bid. Wolff had backed former state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte in her 2015 mayoral bid against Taylor, and afterward Wolff pledged his support to Taylor. Still, he said he and Nirenberg align on a lot of issues, including their opposition to Senate Bill 4, the divisive anti-immigration law, and their displeasure of the Trump administration’s decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Accord.
Nirenberg said he plans to sign on to a U.S.-cities commitment to uphold the accord’s ideals even if the federal government won’t.
Wolff said he’s looking forward to working with him.
“He’s a very intellectual, very smart guy,” Wolff said. “I think he’s going to be a very good mayor.”
Sandwiched between those meetings, Nirenberg got in a workout. A former bodybuilder, Nirenberg is certainly the physically strongest mayor San Antonio has ever had. On Sunday, he knocked out multiple sets of back squats at 315 pounds. At his victory party the day before, campaign officials told the crowd about the feats of strength Nirenberg has accomplished. With a physique not unlike the cartoon character Popeye, Nirenberg has a small can of spinach tattooed on his inner-forearm.
While he’s physically strong, he’s aware he is taking over a position that is weak, at least on paper.
RELATED: Warrick loses; incumbent Treviño keeps his seat
But Nirenberg’s predecessors, former mayors Castro and Phil Hardberger, both found power in the seat. Part of that comes through building coalitions with council colleagues said Christian Archer, a political consultant who worked for Castro and Hardberger. He said both men built alliances early in their tenures. Nirenberg needs to set his agenda and meet with the 10 council members to discuss their district agendas, Archer said. If he helps them be successful, they’ll support his agenda, the consultant said.
Citing a “tremendous” victory, Archer said Nirenberg has a mandate and is positioned to build strong coalitions with a majority of the council members, six of whom are new to the dais. Archer praised the council as a whole, noting there are some “young, aggressive, sharp” new members in William “Cruz” Shaw, Greg Brockhouse and Ana Sandoval. Nirenberg also will likely find natural allies in Roberto Treviño, Manny Pelaez, John Courage and, perhaps, Shirley Gonzales.
Rey Saldaña, who often has sided with Nirenberg over the past two years, could end up being one of the new mayor’s top lieutenants. “This sounds like a shot at Ivy Taylor, and I don’t mean it to be, but you want the leadership from the mayor’s office, steadfast leadership,” Archer said. “And people get that from Ron. They see Ron as a leader.”
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