Hopefully something political.
Ron Nirenberg
In his last official address as mayor, Ron Nirenberg described how a global pandemic shook the one of the country’s most impoverished large cities into action on addressing poverty — and shaped his own approach to leadership for whatever comes next.
To a City Council chambers packed with friends and supporters on Monday, Nirenberg said the role has taught him much about guiding principles.
“In short, you bet the farm on the potential of the people,” he said.
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Rumors have been swirling for months about what might come next for Nirenberg, who managed a radio station at Trinity University before running for public office.
He unseated an incumbent to become mayor, then took office with a distinctly apolitical approach to the nonpartisan role — steering the city away from ideas like defunding the police that made progressive leaders in Texas’ other urban centers less popular.
Near the end of his term, however, Nirenberg, now 48, went full Democrat, hitting the campaign trail for Vice President Kamala Harris, helping approve a controversial abortion travel fund and sharpening his criticism of state GOP leaders.
At the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce gala roughly a week ago Nirenberg joked that by the next time he addressed the group, it could be with a different political title — and he vowed to keep finding ways to serve the community.
But as far as formal plans after leaving office, so far he’s only announced a part-time teaching gig at Trinity University this fall.
Still, as Nirenberg prepares for a potential future in the hyper-polarized world of partisan politics, he continued leaning into his attacks on Republican policies coming out of the state and federal government in Monday’s speech.
“We continue to weather the state and national politicization of disease, gender, autonomy, and the simple freedom of choice,” Nirenberg said. “We deserve to live our lives how we want to live them — and until all are able to do so, the work must continue.”
I am rooting for soon-to-be-former Mayor Nirenberg to stay active in politics. He’d make a good statewide candidate if that’s something he’d want to do. Big city mayors should be a key component to our bench, and outside of San Antonio the pickings are pretty slim. He’s young enough to bide his time and pick an opportunity that he really likes, but I hope he’s got a big swing in him.