It’s a cloudy Wednesday afternoon, and I’m on the phone with Councilman John Courage, who is in the midst of a blistering runoff against conservative advocate Patrick Von Dohlen for San Antonio City Council, District 9. The North Side race, intended to be nonpartisan, has drawn plenty of attention for having become a microcosm for the nation’s deep political divide.
“I think all of the people who voted back in May are faced with a very clear decision — myself or my opponent,” says Courage, 70. “I feel very strongly that they believe that my service [and] my community values are important to them…more so than my opponent.”
On Election Day, a total of 25,170 ballots were cast in District 9 and 47 percent (11,853 votes) of voters supported Courage’s re-election bid. Von Dohlen ended the night with 35.6 percent (8,978 votes), forcing the incumbent into a second and final round of voting on June 5.
Known for his hands-on approach to staying connected with his constituents, Courage has been criticized by Von Dohlen for a number of his progressive stances, including a moment last year when he raised his fist with nine other council colleagues to show solidarity with local activists’ police reform efforts after the death of George Floyd.
Historically, District 9 has leaned Republican, so it was a surprise to political observers when Courage defeated frontrunner Marco Barros in 2017.
Courage, who admits he would have preferred to win the contest outright, shares his theory about Von Dohlen’s May Day success.
READ MORE: Candidate Rudy Lopez offers fresh ideas for District 5
He explains that having the ill-timed Proposition…
It’s a cloudy Wednesday afternoon, and I’m on the phone with Councilman John Courage, who is in the midst of a blistering runoff against conservative advocate Patrick Von Dohlen for San Antonio City Council, District 9. The North Side race, intended to be nonpartisan, has drawn plenty of attention for having become a microcosm for the nation’s deep political divide.
“I think all of the people who voted back in May are faced with a very clear decision — myself or my opponent,” says Courage, 70. “I feel very strongly that they believe that my service [and] my community values are important to them…more so than my opponent.”
On Election Day, a total of 25,170 ballots were cast in District 9 and 47 percent (11,853 votes) of voters supported Courage’s re-election bid. Von Dohlen ended the night with 35.6 percent (8,978 votes), forcing the incumbent into a second and final round of voting on June 5.
Known for his hands-on approach to staying connected with his constituents, Courage has been criticized by Von Dohlen for a number of his progressive stances, including a moment last year when he raised his fist with nine other council colleagues to show solidarity with local activists’ police reform efforts after the death of George Floyd.
Historically, District 9 has leaned Republican, so it was a surprise to political observers when Courage defeated frontrunner Marco Barros in 2017.
Courage, who admits he would have preferred to win the contest outright, shares his theory about Von Dohlen’s May Day success.
READ MORE: Candidate Rudy Lopez offers fresh ideas for District 5
He explains that having the ill-timed Proposition…Read Morelocal_news
