John Courage, San Antonio District 9 City Council member, is the first sitting elected city leader to declare their intent to run for mayor in the May 2025 municipal elections.
The background
Holding a Jan. 25 press conference at City Hall, Courage said he feels prepared to lead the city and tackle several issues, such as job creation, affordable housing, managing growth, meeting mental health care needs, property tax relief, transportation, and increasing support for small businesses and educational initiatives.
Courage is a former educator and U.S. Air Force veteran who was first elected to council in 2017, representing the north central portion of San Antonio.
Courage is serving his fourth council term—a final term in office as dictated by city law. Mayor Ron Nirenberg is in the middle of his fourth and final term as the city’s top elected leader.
Courage’s news conference was briefly disrupted by a group of pro-Palestine protestors demanding that council pass a resolution seeking a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.
Courage said a survey of more than 1,100 District 9 residents conducted by his council office found about 90% of respondents opposed to a resolution calling for a cease-fire.
Courage said the protestors had a right to rally in a public space but that council had no business formally addressing the war that followed Hamas militants’ Oct. 7 attack, which killed more than 1,200 people in Israel and included the kidnapping of hundreds more Israelis.
Council was set to consider a cease-fire resolution Jan. 11, but District 8 council member Manny Pelaez withdrew his support from memo on which the proposed resolution was based, indefinitely scuttling the matter
What they’re saying
Courage said he feels he has done well representing his District 9 constituents and helping to lead the city as a whole over the past six years.
"I want to show that your city government has value for everyone and earns your trust and support. I believe I'm not done yet and have more to offer the citizens,” Courage said.
