ENside Politics

Host Greg Jefferson and City Hall reporter Megan Rodriguez talk with councilmen Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and Marc Whyte about their favorites for mayor, red vs. blue politics on City Council and what to do about San Antonio's projected $31 million deficit. Suggested reading: Next mayor, council will have to make budget cuts as city revenues fall Here’s how Gina Ortiz Jones, Rolando Pablos can become...

The city’s police and firefighters’ unions both sat out the first round of voting, waiting until the field of 27 candidates for mayor in the May 3 city election was whittled to Gina Ortiz Jones and Rolando Pablos. The San Antonio Police Officers' Association backed Pablos ahead of the June 7 runoff while the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association is not endorsing. Suggested reading: San...

The former councilwoman stepped down in 2023 to focus on a daughter who’s now 3, and Sandoval is back to her roots grounded in the environment. Suggested reading: Ana Sandoval's NALCAB bio page ‘It has been an honor’: San Antonio Councilwoman Ana Sandoval steps down, leaving seat open until March ‘Extremely disappointing’ — Mario Bravo suspended from SA city council committees after verbal outburs...

Host Greg Jefferson and City Hall reporters Megan Rodriguez and Molly Smith talk about voters' rejection of City Council members running for the top job, the Year of the Outsider and what's ahead in the June 7 runoff. *Suggested reading:* What happens next in San Antonio mayoral and City Council races: _https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/san-antonio-mayor-city-council-races-next-steps-203093...

Host Greg Jefferson and opinion editor Josh Brodesky discuss why early voting numbers are so weak and what went into the San Antonio Express-News Editorial Board's endorsements in the mayor's race. Suggested reading: The Editorial Board recommends these candidates. Here's why. Can a Republican win the mayor’s race in blue San Antonio? The San Antonio Express-News Voter Guide Sign up here for our E...

Host Greg Jefferson and City Hall reporters Megan Rodriguez and Molly Smith talk about who's up and who's down in the race for mayor and City Council. Suggested reading: The San Antonio Express-News Voter Guide Express-News editorial board recommendations Where to vote Sign up here for our ENside Politics newsletter: https://www.expressnews.com/newsletters/ensidepolitics/ Learn more about your ad...

Host Greg Jefferson and City Hall reporters Megan Rodriguez and Molly Smith talk about who's up and who's down in the race for mayor and City Council. Suggested reading: Councilman Manny Pelaez pumps nearly $300K into his campaign for mayor District 1 challenger accuses Councilwoman Sukh Kaur of violating ethics rules We used AI to analyze San Antonio mayoral candidates priorities Sign up here for...

Host Greg Jefferson and Daiana Lambrecht, executive director of Futuro San Antonio, discuss how the potential dissolution of the U.S. Department of Education and a school voucher program could affect public education in the Alamo City. Suggested reading: What does the Civil Rights Movement have to do with school vouchers? Here's how special education could change under a private school voucher pro...

Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce President Jeff Webster talks about San Antonio’s mayor’s race, the chamber’s annual SA to DC lobbying trip and Project Marvel. Suggested reading: Long sought flight between San Antonio and D.C. takes off What will Trump freeze mean for VIA's $268M bus route grant? Nelson Wolff backs Beto Altamirano in crowded San Antonio mayor's race Sign up here for our ENs...

Podcast host Greg Jefferson and education reporter Melissa Manno delve into the school district's decades of dysfunction and what the Texas Education Agency is doing about it. Suggested reading: New leader has a plan to transform South San ISD: less money for central office, more for teachers South San ISD given chance for turnaround as Texas replaces school board 'A new era': TEA replaces South S...

ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and City Hall reporter Molly Smith talk with UTSA pollster Bryan Gervais about the upcoming city elections, a recent polling controversy and the virtues of local politics -- at least as opposed to poisonous national and state politics. Suggested reading: UTSA poll: Voters say crime is most pressing problem facing Bexar County Will voters know Prop C undoes pay,...

ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and reporter Richard Webner talk with Harley Hubbard, the city's project manager for the bike network plan, about the effort to add 1,890 miles of bicycle routes to San Antonio streets. The cost: between $3 billion and $8 billion. Suggested reading: City Council says yes to bike plan that could cost billions City's vision for sprawling bike network could cost bi...

On this week's ENside Politics, retired Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff sizes up major candidates for San Antonio mayor, the Gordian knot that is Project Marvel and the fear of losing the Spurs to another city. Suggested reading: Why donors from outside San Antonio are funding mayor’s race County tax election for Spurs arena won't happen without more information 'Lying bunch of sons of bitches’: J...

ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson, City Hall reporter Molly Smith and political consultant Laura Barberena discuss what 2025 has in store for San Antonio politics. Suggested reading: Who is running for San Antonio City Council’s open seats in 2025? County tax election for Spurs arena won't happen without more information City Council’s lone Republican wants Migrant Resource Center shut Sign up h...

Greg Jefferson and reporters Megan Rodriguez and Brooke Park discuss what they consider to be the biggest controversies this year at City Hall and the Bexar County Courthouse. Suggested reading: Councilman Marc Whyte takes plea deal in drunken driving case Board reprimands Council Member Marc Whyte for ‘knowingly’ violating ethics rules ‘An embarrassment’: San Antonio loses out on $20M in tax cred...

ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and transportation reporter Richard Webner sort out what's real and what's not in current talk about developing commuter rail between San Antonio and Austin. They also discuss the city's decision to hire a controversial tech company to run parking operations at San Antonio International Airport. Suggested reading: Is rail dream real? Local leaders revive talk of...

City Hall reporters Molly Smith and Megan Rodriguez talk to Laura Molinar of Sueños Sin Fronteras and Ariana Rodriguez of Jane's Due Process about San Antonio’s Reproductive Justice Fund and what they hope to see from the mayoral contenders. Suggested reading: Fund that could help pay for abortion travel passed over in new city budget City's Reproductive Justice Fund won't pay for abortion travel...

ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson, City Hall reporter Molly Smith and political consultant Laura Barberena discuss the late Mayor Howard Peak's legacy, the potential downtown Spurs arena, and how Councilman John Courage's decision to withdraw will recast the 2025 race for mayor. Suggested reading: Howard Peak was San Antonio mayor, launched greenway trail network Sources: Councilman John Courage...

COPS-Metro's Sonia Rodriguez and Father Jimmy Drennan talk with ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and reporter Molly Smith about their group's concerns about the Missions stadium deal and the budding plan for a Spurs arena at Hemisfair dubbed 'Project Marvel.' Suggested reading: At last, details of Spurs-anchored downtown San Antonio sports and entertainment district emerge SAISD OKs terms to se...

ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and Express-News reporter Megan Rodriguez talk with airline analyst Keith Debbage about how the Dallas-based airline's fight to get gates in the city's glitzy Terminal C might play out. Suggested reading: Southwest Airlines sues San Antonio over airport lease Southwest accuses city of 'bait and switch' in lawsuit over airport lease Southwest won’t get space in n...

The West Side councilwoman talks with ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and City Hall reporter Molly Smith about the planned Missions baseball stadium and the apartment complex it will wipe out. Suggested reading: San Antonio's housing plan lacks clear explanation of theories guiding policy ‘Revolutionary’: San Antonio council approves community land trust policy for affordable housing All six c...

ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and Express-News reporter Ed McKinley, Brooke Park and Molly Smith discuss the GOP blowout in state and local races. They also parse the fate of City Council's proposed raise and the removal on pay and tenure caps on the city manager. Suggested reading: 5 key takeaways from Election Day in Texas Texas House shifts further right as Republicans dominate in tossup...

Why isn't Colin Allred rushing to embrace Kamala Harris? Why isn't Sen. Ted Cruz talking much about Donald Trump? San Antonio political consultants Eddie Aldrete and Laura Barberena and host Greg Jefferson answer these questions and more on this week's ENside Politics. Suggested reading: Colin Allred brings Senate campaign to San Antonio In a key Texas House race, the GOP is testing how far right...

Gordon Hartman, a philanthropist and tri-chair of the PAC that's running the "vote yes" campaign for six city charter amendments, talks with ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and City Hall reporter Molly Smith about why voters should eliminate pay and tenure restrictions on San Antonio's city manager. Suggested reading: Here are the six city charter amendments that San Antonio voters will decide...

The two-time Democratic nominee in Congressional District 23 runs a political action committee that's targeting three Republican justices seeking re-election to the Texas Supreme Court over ruling on the state's near-total abortion ban. She talks with host Greg Jefferson and reporter Megan Rodriguez about her organization's efforts to take out justices Jimmy Blacklock, John Devine and Jane Bland i...