The aftermath of the 2024 elections was brutal for all progressives. But life, and elections, keeps going. It is 2025, and just because it is an “off year” for federal and most state elections, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t elections going on at the local level! Sure, there won’t be as many elections in 2025 (and fewer progressive candidates to profile), but every year we like to highlight our favorite progressive candidates.

Gina Ortiz Jones (she/her) is a lesbian Filipina-American with a long career of public service. An Air Force officer during the early days of the Iraq War, Gina would later rise through the ranks of government to become the Under Secretary of the Air Force (the USAF’s #2 civilian position) in 2021. Along the way, Gina ran for Texas’ 23rd district in the US House of Representatives in 2018, winning the Democratic Primary but losing in the general election by less than a thousand votes. In her race to be San Antonio’s next mayor, Gina is running on a platform of universal Pre-K, housing affordability, and increasing high-speed Internet access to people of all incomes. The San Antonio mayoral election is on May 3, 2025.

Where are you based?
San Antonio, Texas.

What is your position/what position are you running for?
Mayor of San Antonio.

How would you briefly summarize your platform?
There’s no time to waste. We have to act with urgency to bring down costs where we can, make smart investments where we must, and bring more transparency to how City Hall is spending our tax dollars.

What inspired you to run?
Leaders make all the difference in the world–they create, protect or erase opportunities with their words and their actions. I was raised by a single mom, relied on subsidized housing and reduced lunch at one point, and then earned an Air Force ROTC scholarship to attend college. I served under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and 20 years later served as the #2 in the Department of the Air Force. I know what strong leaders are capable of accomplishing, and I look forward to ensuring the opportunities that enabled me to grow up healthy, get an education, and serve our country are there for the next generation.

What change are you hoping to bring to your city and country?
I hope the cumulative impact of the changes and investments I’m advocating for move the needle on addressing the long-standing economic inequities in our community.

What do you feel are the most important issues right now, why, and how do you plan to tackle them?
As I speak with neighbors across the city, the most pressing issues are housing affordability, public safety, and ensuring taxpayers have sufficient information about potential multi-billion dollar publicly financed projects in our downtown. Folks want to understand their tax dollars are being well-used, and that elected officials are acting with urgency to address our challenges. To this end, I have shared my priorities and the concrete things I would tackle in my first 100 days. Even if we had different leaders in DC or Austin, we would still be faced with the same long-standing economic inequities in our community. We have the resources and the talent to address them, and now we need the leadership. I look forward to providing that as Mayor.

America is extremely divided these days. How would you hope to bridge that divide with your constituents to better unite Americans?
I think we as Americans have a lot more in common than divides us. I think we share common values to a large extent, but we have different understandings about what that looks like in action. To bridge that, I have offered my plan and priorities for the things I would focus on if elected to serve as Mayor that address the challenges and opportunities in our city. I think that’s how we bridge that divide–by being focused on problem-solving and delivering results.

How do you see your unique identity and background to be an asset to you in office?
Even before my first class at Boston University, I had to sign a piece of paper committing not to engage in homosexual behavior, because “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” was the policy at the time. I was there on an Air Force ROTC Scholarship, and as an 18 year old kid, I knew what that piece of paper meant. If they found out that I was gay, I’d lose the opportunity to get an education, lose the opportunity to serve my country, and lose the opportunity to die for my country if need be–just because there weren’t enough leaders at the time with the courage to say anyone ready or willing to serve our country should have the opportunity to do so. That experience ingrained in me the importance of being a courageous leader and ensuring I was hearing from as many voices as possible to understand the true impact of a decision. This will be important to serving a city where many parts of our community feel–and have been left behind.

What is your motto in life?
Advice I give anyone who asks for it: 1) Be kind. 2) Work hard–don’t get outworked. 3) Be so good they can’t ignore you. 4) Do the damn thing.

Where can we find out more about you?
www.ginaortizjones.com and sign up to phone/text bank!

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2025 - Gina Ortiz Jones, Mayor of San Antonio, TX