Propelled by a strong cadre of young supporters and the active backing of former Mayors Phil Hardberger and Julian Castro, Councilman Ron Nirenberg scored a decisive upset victory tonight to be elected Mayor of San Antonio, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Nirenberg, a college radio station administrator at Trinity University before being elected to City Council, upset incumbent Ivy Taylor, who had the backing of much of the business community, as well as key political figures like Lyle Larson and Nelson Wolff.
- Nirenberg ran a clear change mandate into the corner office at City Hall.. He also overcame a barrage of negative advertising by Taylor, including a web site that painted Nirenberg as 'Liberal Ron' and sold make believe 'Liberal Ron Flip Flops' with 'two left feet.
- Taylor becomes only the second Mayor of San Antonio to be defeated for re-election in forty years, joining Bill Thornton back in the 1990s.
- Councilman Alan Warrick was also decisively defeated by attorney Cruz Shaw.. Manny Pelaez (District 8) and Clayton Perry (District 10) will also be joining City Council.