Campaign finance data suggests there’s little truth to rumor former San Antonio mayor will run for governor

New campaign finance filings suggest recent rumors that former San Antonio mayor Ron Nirenberg is preparing a near-term run for higher office are just that: rumors.

In documents released Tuesday, Nirenberg reported having just $7,000 cash on hand. That’s hardly enough to mount a serious local campaign, much less run a pricy statewide contest. By way of contrast, Gov. Greg Abbott has nearly $90 million in his war chest.

During a political town hall last month, Nirenberg told the Current and other media outlets that he’d weighed running for a new office. However, he was light on details about what that might be.

“My passion has not gone,” said Nirenberg, who stepped down earlier this summer due to term limits. “No announcements yet, but I’m not done with public service.”

Earlier this month, the former mayor told other Democratic politicians he was mulling a run for governor, people familiar with the situation told the San Antonio Report.

However, San Antonio political consultant Bert Santibañez this week told the Report Nirenberg’s lack of campaign funds suggest he’s not going to be chasing statewide office anytime soon.

“It seems like there’s a disconnect between the rumor mill and the speculation and what’s actually being raised,” Santibañez said. “Those numbers don’t reflect that someone is getting ready to announce a statewide campaign.”

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This article appears in Jul 23 – Aug 6, 2025.