Jaime Castillo: (photo)
San Antonio Express-News Columnist
"Castro has greatly improved his odds of becoming Mayor"
If San Antonio wakes up to a Mayor Julián Castro administration next June, we may look back on this week as the turning point for the former city councilman. A string of fresh endorsements, including those of prominent businessman Mike Beldon, U.S. Rep. Charlie Gonzalez and state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, could help defuse two of Castro's biggest weaknesses going back to the 2005 mayoral runoff he narrowly lost to Phil Hardberger.
Castro fell 3,700 votes short three years ago because of three things: a lack of trust in him by the business community, Hardberger's impact with some Hispanic voters, and Castro's age.
The only thing I have to say about the latter is that Castro will be 34 when the real campaigning starts, which, to my ear, sounds a lot different than 26 - his age when he was first elected to the council in 2001.
As for the things within Castro's control, time appears to have helped him.While Castro dominated heavily Hispanic neighborhoods in 2005, one of Hardberger's keys to victory was his ability to slice into the Hispanic vote because of his long involvement in civil rights issues as a lawyer.That relationship caused some real endorsement headaches for some name-brand local Hispanics such as Gonzalez and Van de Putte, who ultimately sided with Hardberger.
Hardberger's other strength was his ability to draw upon the Anglo business establishment, which largely shunned Castro following his opposition to the proposed PGA Village resort and his stance against offering a high salary to Sheryl Sculley, who was just a city manager candidate at the time.Beldon, a well-known contractor, was Hardberger's campaign treasurer and, along with the late Cliff Morton, was instrumental in vouching for the former judge in business circles.
That's why Beldon's name stands out on a Castro fundraising letter that is going out this month.Even though businessman Fernando Reyes, former homebuilder Gordon Hartman and City Councilwoman Diane Cibrian have yet to make mayoral bids official, the fact that Beldon is willing to stick his neck out this early signifies that the business community is up for grabs in a way it wasn't in 2005.
Beldon said he was impressed by Castro's grit in his last mayoral campaign, and has come to know him in the years since Hardberger's victory."He's four years older. He's married," Beldon reasoned. "He's not only got a good chance to be mayor, he's got a very, very good chance to be a good mayor."And Beldon isn't just endorsing Castro; he's going to be his treasurer, which will give other business types cover to come into the Castro fold.
"Even though I think he was wrong on the PGA Village issue, I recognize that a lot of people agreed with him," Beldon said. "He's broadened his horizons. He knows that he must be a mayor for all of the city, not just one area."Castro was candid about what he hopes Beldon's backing will do for him with the business community.
"Basically, they know I don't have horns now," he said. "People can look at me on my merits and my entire record rather than the baggage that existed at City Hall in 2005 and my age."
"To be clear, I'm not predicting a Castro win months from now. But he's gone a long way to shore up his weaknesses.
Gonzalez and Van de Putte give him a formidable stable of well-known Hispanic supporters that already included Henry Cisneros, Berto Guerra and state Sen. Carlos Uresti. And Beldon by himself gives him more traditional business support than he had in the entire last campaign.
San Antonio Express-News Columnist
"Castro has greatly improved his odds of becoming Mayor"
If San Antonio wakes up to a Mayor Julián Castro administration next June, we may look back on this week as the turning point for the former city councilman. A string of fresh endorsements, including those of prominent businessman Mike Beldon, U.S. Rep. Charlie Gonzalez and state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, could help defuse two of Castro's biggest weaknesses going back to the 2005 mayoral runoff he narrowly lost to Phil Hardberger.
Castro fell 3,700 votes short three years ago because of three things: a lack of trust in him by the business community, Hardberger's impact with some Hispanic voters, and Castro's age.
The only thing I have to say about the latter is that Castro will be 34 when the real campaigning starts, which, to my ear, sounds a lot different than 26 - his age when he was first elected to the council in 2001.
As for the things within Castro's control, time appears to have helped him.While Castro dominated heavily Hispanic neighborhoods in 2005, one of Hardberger's keys to victory was his ability to slice into the Hispanic vote because of his long involvement in civil rights issues as a lawyer.That relationship caused some real endorsement headaches for some name-brand local Hispanics such as Gonzalez and Van de Putte, who ultimately sided with Hardberger.
Hardberger's other strength was his ability to draw upon the Anglo business establishment, which largely shunned Castro following his opposition to the proposed PGA Village resort and his stance against offering a high salary to Sheryl Sculley, who was just a city manager candidate at the time.Beldon, a well-known contractor, was Hardberger's campaign treasurer and, along with the late Cliff Morton, was instrumental in vouching for the former judge in business circles.
That's why Beldon's name stands out on a Castro fundraising letter that is going out this month.Even though businessman Fernando Reyes, former homebuilder Gordon Hartman and City Councilwoman Diane Cibrian have yet to make mayoral bids official, the fact that Beldon is willing to stick his neck out this early signifies that the business community is up for grabs in a way it wasn't in 2005.
Beldon said he was impressed by Castro's grit in his last mayoral campaign, and has come to know him in the years since Hardberger's victory."He's four years older. He's married," Beldon reasoned. "He's not only got a good chance to be mayor, he's got a very, very good chance to be a good mayor."And Beldon isn't just endorsing Castro; he's going to be his treasurer, which will give other business types cover to come into the Castro fold.
"Even though I think he was wrong on the PGA Village issue, I recognize that a lot of people agreed with him," Beldon said. "He's broadened his horizons. He knows that he must be a mayor for all of the city, not just one area."Castro was candid about what he hopes Beldon's backing will do for him with the business community.
"Basically, they know I don't have horns now," he said. "People can look at me on my merits and my entire record rather than the baggage that existed at City Hall in 2005 and my age."
"To be clear, I'm not predicting a Castro win months from now. But he's gone a long way to shore up his weaknesses.
Gonzalez and Van de Putte give him a formidable stable of well-known Hispanic supporters that already included Henry Cisneros, Berto Guerra and state Sen. Carlos Uresti. And Beldon by himself gives him more traditional business support than he had in the entire last campaign.
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