San Antonio, TX Politics: Is It Liberal or Conservative?

Election Results and Trends in San Antonio, TX

In the last Presidential election, San Antonio, TX voted predominantly Democrat, with 54.4% of voters casting their ballot for Biden, while 43.9% of voters in San Antonio voted for Trump, and other parties voting 1.7%. Based on these voting patterns, San Antonio is considered a slightly leaning liberal city. Specifically, it ranks 145th out of the most populated 333 cities in the United States in terms of conservatism based on the 2020 Presidential election results. Conversely, when looking at the liberal voting patterns in the 2020 election, San Antonio ranks 179th out of the 333 most populated cities, indicating a relatively low liberal vote.

Presidential Elections Voting Trend

The last six Presidential election results (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) for San Antonio, TX are: R R D R D D

San Antonio's voting trends in Presidential elections have shown a mixed pattern. While Texas, as a state, leans conservative, San Antonio's urban demographics have given rise to more competitive races. In 1996, voters favored Bill Clinton but shifted to George W. Bush (2000 and 2004). Barack Obama narrowly lost the city in 2008 and 2012. In 2016, Hillary Clinton won the city, and Joe Biden continued this trend in 2020. Thus, a trend toward Democrat support has become apparent, especially in the last two cycles.

Local Elections

Local/City level elections in San Antonio have been nonpartisan, but the ideological leanings of the candidates have been evident. Over the last 25 years, there's been a diverse mix of conservative and liberal leadership. Mayors like Phil Hardberger and Julián Castro have leaned more liberal, while others like Ed Garza and Ivy Taylor have been viewed as more conservative. The trend suggests a balance, with voters often electing officials focusing on specific local issues rather than purely ideological ones.