San Antonio – Beto Altamirano, co-founder and CEO of Irys, has announced his candidacy for San Antonio’s 2025 mayoral election, becoming the first person outside of City Hall to run in that race.
“I know San Antonio is hungry for a new visionary forward,” Altamirano told KSAT in his first on-camera interview as a candidate.
Altamirano, a native of Mission, Texas, said San Antonio has given him so many opportunities and he wants to give back.
“I want people to dream big, but in the process, we have to take care of the fundamentals: infrastructure, public safety, economic development. But it’s about looking to the future and taking care of the fundamentals. And that’s the vision of this campaign.”
Altamirano also released a short video announcement on Friday and has scheduled a campaign launch event at the Friendly Spot Icehouse on Saturday morning.
Altamirano is co-founder of Irys, formerly Cityflag, which developed the 311SA app for the City of San Antonio and also recently acquired cybersecurity firm Diversified Technical Services, Inc. (DTSI).
One of the company’s largest customers is the 16th Air Force (Air Force Cyber) at Joint Base San Antonio.
Altamirano said his company “no longer has a contract with the city” and would step down as CEO if elected, but would retain an ownership interest and a board position.
He also co-founded the nonprofit Better Futures Institute and has served as a staff member in the Texas House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.
During a 26-minute interview with KSAT, Altamirano shared his thoughts on issues including poverty, the future of the Ready To Work program and the possibility of a downtown arena for the Spurs. You can watch the full interview below.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg’s fourth, two-year term ends in 2025, leaving the mayoral seat open for the first time since Phil Hardberger retired in 2009, when there was a two-term limit.
Altamirano is the third candidate to announce his candidacy, the only others to do so are Rep. Manny Pelaez (D-8th District) and Rep. John Courage (D-9th District).
Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Huberda (D-District 6) also told KSAT she intends to run, and Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia (D-District 4) is also considering running, but neither have officially launched their campaigns.
Former Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos on Thursday appeared to soft-launch his campaign by forming a new “nonpartisan public policy research group” focused on the 2025 mayoral election.
Though the election is still 11 months away and the presidential election is still some way off, political consultant Christian Archer said it makes sense for Altamirano to step in now because media coverage will leave voters wanting to know more.
“They know John Courage, they know Manny Pelaez and Havlda and all the people who are thinking about running,” Archer said, “and people are still searching for candidates, saying, ‘Who is this guy?’ And now there’s a buzz about him, and I think that’s a positive for him.”
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