Sakai, Minjarez appear headed to Democratic runoff for Bexar County judge; DeBerry likely to win GOP

Former District Judge Peter Sakai and State Rep. Ina Minjarez appear headed to a May 24 Democratic runoff for Bexar County judge. The winner will face Republican nominee Trish DeBerry in November. Sakai led in early voting with 43 percent of the vote, followed by 30 percent for Minjarez, about 19 percent for Ivalis Meza Gonzalez, former chief of staff to Mayor Ron Nirenberg, and 8 percent for Gerardo Ponce, a consultant and former court coordinator. Incumbent County Judge Nelson Wolff, who has served since 2001, did not seek re-election. Sakai, 67, has spent 26 years as a district judge and previously was a municipal lawyer. He has said he wants to “break down silos” to find solutions through bipartisanship, but is prepared to push back against the state, if needed, to protect the best interests of residents. The McAllen native is endorsed by the Tejano Democrats of Bexar County.

State Rep. Ina Minjarez, 46, broke quorum during last year’s legislative session in protest of a voting rights bill and has been the most forceful critic in the county judge race of state Republican leaders in handling the pandemic. She has a legislative background dealing with education, transportation, opioid abuse and a strained foster care system. She also has legal experience as an attorney for over 20 years and was a prosecutor in the DA’s office. Her campaign video promotes Minjarez as “the only candidate with a proven record.” Born and raised in El Paso, Minjarez has endorsements from local state legislators and County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez, who called her “a champion for Bexar County in the Legislature.” Minjarez has said she’ll focus on property tax relief, educational opportunities that break cycles of poverty, and roads, drainage, clinics and hospitals to serve “health care deserts” in a growing urban county. On the Republican side, former County Commissioner Trish DeBerry carried nearly two-thirds of the early votes in a race against conservative anti-establishment candidate Nathan Buchanan.