Ron Nirenberg, former San Antonio mayor, is running for Bexar County Judge as the Democratic nominee against Republican Patrick Von Dohlen. The general election is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026. The candidates debated on Oct. 15.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Bexar County Judge election between Nirenberg and Von Dohlen (Bexar County)1
Who's involved
Ron NirenbergDemocratic candidate for Bexar County Judge; former San Antonio mayor
Patrick Von DohlenRepublican candidate for Bexar County Judge; financial advisor and conservative activist
Peter SakaiIncumbent Bexar County Judge; defeated by Nirenberg in Democratic primary
Andrea DruschPolitical reporter for San Antonio Report; debate moderator
The facts
Nirenberg won the Democratic primary against incumbent Judge Peter Sakai.1
Von Dohlen ran unsuccessfully three times for San Antonio City Council District 9.1
Nirenberg was mayor for eight years before being forced out by term limits in 2025.12Stated by 2 sources
The debate was held at Texas Public Radio headquarters on Oct. 15 with about 100 community members attending.2
The county judge presides over the commissioner's court, votes on the county budget, and oversees departments including the sheriff's office.2
Bexar County is one of 18 Texas counties required to administer annual emissions tests.2
Nirenberg taught at Trinity University as a Calgaard Distinguished Professor of Practice.2
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Von Dohlen Nirenberg's policies led to higher utility rates and a tax increase on San Antonio residents.1
Von Dohlen Nirenberg's track record led to negative results for everyone living in San Antonio.1
Von Dohlen San Antonio's one-party Democratic dominance for 28 years led to $3.7 billion in debt and high property taxes.2
Nirenberg Von Dohlen's statements about his record are not true and voters have rejected Von Dohlen every time he appeared on a ballot.1
Nirenberg Eight years as mayor gave him strong understanding of the community and he aims to improve healthcare access and public safety.2
Where the sources disagree
Whether Nirenberg's policies as mayor led to negative economic results Von Dohlen claims higher utility rates and tax increases resulted from those policies [1]; Nirenberg calls those statements untrue [1]
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
Nirenberg and Von Dohlen face off for Bexar County Judge
These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.
Russian operatives likely spread AI-generated fake videos to meddle in the Texas Senate race between Democratic candidate James Talarico and Republican candidate Ken Paxton, according to disinformation researchers.
Storm-1516, Russian government-backed group accused of spreading fake videos; James Talarico, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate targeted in video; Darren Linvill, Clemson University professor and head of Media Forensic Hub and 4 more
Digital Freedom Fund, a Super PAC launched by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss in 2025, reported spending more than $81,000 on direct mail ads supporting Republican Ken Paxton and opposing Democrat James Talarico in the Texas Senate race, with early voting already underway.
$more than $81,000 for ad spending on direct mail media
Digital Freedom Fund, Super PAC spending on ads; Cameron Winklevoss, Co-founder of Digital Freedom Fund; Tyler Winklevoss, Co-founder of Digital Freedom Fund and 2 more
President Donald Trump will hold rallies in Corpus Christi and Lubbock, Texas on October 27, one week before the November midterm election. The visit replaces a previously scheduled rally in Waco.
Donald Trump, President; Republican National Committee, event organizer; Eric Flores, Republican congressional candidate in South Texas and 5 more
Eight major-party candidates are running for four seats in Bexar County's congressional delegation in the November 3, 2026 election, following redistricting that reduced the county's representation from five to four members and redrawn 43% of residents into new districts.
Joaquin Castro, Democratic U.S. Representative, seeking reelection to eighth term; Edgardo Baez, Republican first-time candidate; Chip Roy, Incumbent U.S. Representative, chose not to seek reelection and 2 more
Data centers have become a significant campaign issue across multiple Texas races, with candidates from both parties calling for stricter regulation and oversight. Governor Greg Abbott previously promoted data centers but shifted to calling for a six-month permit moratorium, which the TCEQ began enforcing in October.
Dan Patrick, Lt. Governor; Sid Miller, Texas Agriculture Commissioner who lost Republican primary; Greg Abbott, Governor and 9 more
Texas election law allows eligible voters who moved from one county to another to cast a limited ballot in statewide and certain district races even if their registration still reflects their previous address. The limited ballot option is available during early voting (October 19-30) before the November 3 election.
Christian Hudspeth, Logistics Coordinator; Texas Secretary of State's Office, State election authority
Voting has begun in Texas's 34th Congressional District with four candidates on the ballot. Early voting ends October 30, and Election Day is November 3.
Eddie Espinoza, Green Party candidate; Eric Flores, Republican candidate; Vicente Gonzalez, Democratic candidate, serving fifth term in Congress and 1 more
Tech companies and AI have emerged as a major focus of 2026 midterm election campaigns. Both Republican and Democratic candidates are running ads and making speeches attacking or defending datacenters, AI, and tech billionaires. Ken Paxton, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Texas, has called for a slowdown on AI despite the industry's pro-Trump alignment.
$more than $75 million for PAC fundraising for tech-friendly candidates
Ken Paxton, Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Texas; James Talarico, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in Texas; Three Star Pac, Democrat-aligned PAC running anti-datacenter campaign ads and 4 more