Villarreal Resigning to Run for San Antonio Mayor

Updated Nov. 10, 12:25 p.m.:

State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, acknowledged on Sunday afternoon that she is being mentioned as a potential candidate for mayor of her hometown. In a statement released hours after state Rep. Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio, said that he would resign his seat in the next Legislature in order run full time for mayor, Van de Putte said:

It is always an honor to work for Texas families. For over 20 years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve the good people of San Antonio and Texas.

Recently, many business and community leaders have asked me to play a new role in service to San Antonio, as Mayor. I am humbled by their confidence and support.

At this time, I am enjoying my family and praying for guidance.

Van de Putte lost her bid to become lieutenant governor in this month's general election, spurring speculation that she would choose to run to lead her city rather than return to fill out the remainder of her term in the state Senate.

She said in July that she would not run for San Antonio mayor. 

The day after Van de Putte released her statement, state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, expressed conditional interest in Van de Putte's Senate seat.

"If Senator Van de Putte chooses to continue her service to our community by entering the race for San Antonio Mayor, I will give serious consideration to asking the voters of Senate District 26 to allow me to be their voice in the Senate," Martinez Fischer said in his statement.

Original story, Nov. 9:

State Rep. Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio, is resigning his seat in the next legislative session, allowing him to transition to a full-time campaign for mayor and to give others the opportunity to fill the post by the time the House gavels in next January.

Villarreal told the Tribune that he sent Gov. Rick Perry a resignation letter on Thursday. He did so in order to give Perry a chance to call a special election for House District 123 — which covers downtown and into northern San Antonio — as early as December.

The representative said he made the decision to resign this early "so citizens of HD-123 can elect a new legislator and have representation in the upcoming legislative session."

The move also allows Villarreal to move into campaign mode for mayor of San Antonio. He's been planning a mayoral run since May, when Julián Castro decided to leave office for a job in the Obama Cabinet. Since then, the city has had a caretaker mayor, Ivy Taylor, who is not running for the office next year.