Public Safety Unions Back Incumbent Bexar County Judge Sakai

Police, firefighters, and sheriff's deputies unions endorse Sakai over former San Antonio mayor Nirenberg in Democratic primary

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Just days before early voting begins, the San Antonio Police Officers' Association, San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association, and Deputy Sheriff's Association of Bexar County have all endorsed incumbent Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai in his bid for a second term. The unions cited Sakai's strong record on public safety issues as the reason for their support, even as former San Antonio mayor Ron Nirenberg mounts a challenge for the Democratic nomination.

Why it matters

The endorsements from the three major public safety unions in Bexar County are seen as a significant boost for Sakai's campaign, as they bring both financial resources and grassroots support from the unions' memberships. The race between Sakai and Nirenberg has emerged as a key contest in the Democratic primary, with the winner likely to face a Republican challenger in the general election.

The details

The three unions' presidents stood with Sakai at a news conference to announce their endorsements, with the police union president calling it a "unified front" in support of the incumbent county judge. The unions praised Sakai's record, including his support for the "Straight to the Streets" initiative that aimed to improve deputy recruitment. In contrast, the unions have been critical of Nirenberg's record on public safety issues during his time as mayor.

  • Early voting starts on Tuesday, February 21, 2026 and runs through February 27, 2026.
  • The Democratic primary election is scheduled for March 3, 2026.

The players

Peter Sakai

The incumbent Bexar County Judge who is seeking a second term in the Democratic primary.

Ron Nirenberg

The former mayor of San Antonio who is challenging Sakai for the Democratic nomination for Bexar County Judge.

San Antonio Police Officers' Association

The largest and most deep-pocketed public safety union in the city of San Antonio, which has endorsed Sakai's re-election bid.

San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association

The union representing San Antonio firefighters, which has also endorsed Sakai.

Deputy Sheriff's Association of Bexar County

The union representing Bexar County sheriff's deputies, which has endorsed Sakai as well.

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What they’re saying

“We're not looking at the past. We're looking at the future. And if we're going to continue to move forward as a county, as a city, from our standpoint, this is the right way to go.”

— Danny Diaz, President, San Antonio Police Officers' Association (expressnews.com)

“Our population is exploding. I think we had over 40,000 calls last year. We only have 54 fire stations. We're being overworked. I would have liked to see more championship from Mayor Nirenberg on public safety in that arena.”

— Joe Jones, President, San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association (expressnews.com)

“If I had anything to say that I could fault him on, he doesn't take credit for what he does. He gives the credit to everybody else, instead of grandstanding, standing out there, 'Look what I did.'”

— Ron Tooke, President, Deputy Sheriff's Association of Bexar County (expressnews.com)

What’s next

The winner of the Democratic primary between Sakai and Nirenberg will face Republican Patrick Von Dohlen in the November 2026 general election for Bexar County Judge.

The takeaway

The endorsements from the major public safety unions in Bexar County represent a significant boost for incumbent Judge Peter Sakai, who is touting his record on public safety issues as he fends off a challenge from former San Antonio mayor Ron Nirenberg. The race has emerged as a key contest in the Democratic primary, with the winner likely to become the next Bexar County Judge.