After receiving smaller donations from individuals at house parties and cozier gatherings over the last several months, lone mayoral candidate Mike Villarreal plans to throw a larger fundraiser in September, where he’ll roll out what he said is an impressive list of supporters.
“I want to have people from every part of town, folks who are leaders in their neighborhoods, who own businesses in each economic sector and we’re accomplishing that,” he said.
Villarreal’s finance team members seem like the right guys to help him drum up support from the business community. Michael Beldon, San Antonio businessman, former Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce chair and former treasurer for Phil Hardberger’s and Julian Castro’s mayoral campaigns, is Villarreal’s treasurer, and Jose Villarreal (no, they’re not related), a lawyer who has worked for national Democrats, is the campaign finance chairman.
Local political consultant Christian Archer, who has run major mayoral campaigns in San Antonio and Texas, said the key to winning business support is focusing on job training, workforce development, water and energy.
