Gina Ortiz Jones

Gina Ortiz Jones
Official portrait, 2021
184th Mayor of San Antonio
Assumed office
June 18, 2025
Preceded byRon Nirenberg
27th United States Under Secretary of the Air Force
In office
July 26, 2021 – March 6, 2023
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byMatthew Donovan
Succeeded byMelissa Dalton
Personal details
Born
Gina Maria Ortiz Jones

(1981-02-01) February 1, 1981
Arlington, Virginia, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Domestic partnerAngelica Cortez (2025–present)
EducationBoston University (BA, MA)
University of Kansas (MA)
U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) (MMAS)
WebsiteCampaign website
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Air Force
Years of service2003–2006 (active)
2008–2010 (reserve)
Rank Captain
Unit18th Air Support Operations Group
Battles/warsIraq War

Gina Maria Ortiz Jones (born February 1, 1981) is an American Democratic politician who has been the mayor of San Antonio, Texas since 2025. She is also an Air Force veteran. She was the Under Secretary of the Air Force from July 2021 to March 2023 during the Joe Biden administration. She has been called a political progressive.[1]

U.S. Congressional campaigns

Jones was the 2018 Democratic nominee for Texas's 23rd congressional district, however she lost to the incumbent Republican Will Hurd.[2] She ran again for the seat in 2020, winning the Democratic primary, and lost to Navy veteran Tony Gonzales in the general election.[3][4]

Under Secretary of the Air Force

Jones was confirmed as President Joe Biden's Under Secretary of the Air Force by the Senate on July 22, 2021.[5] She was the sixth woman to hold that title, the first woman of color and the first open lesbian.[6] She helped increase services for victims of domestic abuse and created a study to provide senior leadership with better data on the performance of female officers.[6]

She resigned as under secretary in February 2023, and left office in March 6.[7]

Mayor of San Antonio

Jones ran for mayor of San Antonio in the 2025 election. In the May 3 general election, Jones advanced to the June 7 runoff, alongside Rolando Pablos.[8] She won the runoff, beating Pablos by nine points.[9]

Jones took office on June 18, 2025, becoming the first Asian-American female mayor of a major city in Texas, the first openly gay mayor of San Antonio, and the first female mayor in Texas to have served in war.[1]

Personal life

Jones was bon February 1, 1981, in Arlington, Virginia.[10] Jones grew up in San Antonio, Texas to Filipino immigrant parents.[11][12] Jones has a younger sister, Christi Ann.[13]

Jones is openly a lesbian.[1] She is in a domestic partnership with Angelica Cortez.[14]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Gina Ortiz Jones, a Progressive, Is Elected San Antonio's Mayor". The New York Times. June 7, 2025. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  2. ↑ Esteban Estrada, Jade (May 9, 2018). "Keeping Up with Gina Ortiz Jones, Who Wants to Unseat Congressman Will Hurd". San Antonio Current. Archived from the original on May 24, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2018. Within the Texas Democratic Party, Jones, 37, says she is attempting to change the conversation of 'who can enter into politics and who cannot.'
  3. ↑ Svitek, Patrick (May 14, 2019). "Gina Ortiz Jones running again to unseat Texas U.S. Rep. Will Hurd". Texas Tribune. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  4. ↑ Taylor, Jessica (August 2019). "Texas Rep. Will Hurd, House's Only Black Republican, Won't Seek Reelection In 2020". NPR. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  5. ↑ Gould, Joe (July 26, 2021). "Pentagon adding new China and tech chiefs". Defense News. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Bender, Jennifer (March 18, 2023). "The Air Force That Gina Ortiz Jones Is Leaving Behind". HuffPost. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  7. ↑ Svan, Jennifer H. (February 14, 2023). "Air Force's No. 2 civilian stepping down from post, service says". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  8. ↑ Stringer, Megan (May 4, 2025). "San Antonio mayor election results: Gina Ortiz Jones, Rolando Pablos in runoff". Axios. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  9. ↑ Kugle, Parks; Martin, Sierra (June 7, 2025). "Gina Ortiz Jones wins runoff election for San Antonio Mayor". Community Impact. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Candidate Conversation - Gina Ortiz Jones (D)". Inside Elections. December 1, 2017. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  11. ↑ Pastor, Rene (June 16, 2018). "Will Gina Ortiz-Jones become the first Filipina American in Congress?". The Inquirer. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  12. ↑ Scherer, Jasper (May 10, 2018). "West Side native Gina Ortiz Jones wants to create opportunity in CD 23". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  13. ↑ Maslow, Nick (May 23, 2022). "After Serving in 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Era, Air Force Under Secretary Gina Ortiz Jones Comes Full Circle". People. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  14. ↑ KSAT 12 (June 18, 2025). "WATCH LIVE: Inauguration ceremony for new San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, newly elected city council". YouTube. Retrieved June 19, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

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