Robert Garcia has won the runoff election to join Alamo Colleges District’s board of trustees representing District 9.
Garcia, a certified public accountant and Northwest Vista graduate, bested Carolyn DeLecour, a lifelong educator and former Palo Alto College professor, in the pair’s head-to-head Saturday runoff.
Garcia finished with 57.52% in the low-turnout Saturday election, winning by 294 votes. About 1.29% of the total 151,691 voters who are eligible to participate in the runoff voted.
Garcia, 45, said he was overjoyed and emotional as he watched the results at home with his family, where his campaign started.
“I don’t think that I have been able to convey to people what they’re getting. They’re getting someone special,” Garcia said. “You’re going to have somebody that is going to do their homework, their due diligence. You’re going to have someone that’s going to study, that’s going to be prepared, over-prepared.”
District faces deficit
Garcia joins the board in the midst of its first financial deficit in at least a decade. The board met the same morning of the runoff elections to be presented with options to address a $28 million deficit, for which they’ll likely have to approve a tax increase to fill in the gaps left by with decreased property taxes across Bexar County, while addressing enrollment growth and course demand.
“This is something that you know I do have experience in. This is what sets me apart,” Garcia said. “The financing is one thing, but I think how all these things come together and how we think about the future sales is raising rates right CPS has a budget deficit the city the county you know we need fiscal responsible people we need fiscal watchdogs out there.”
During the campaign, Garcia faced attacks about a teen arrest and overcame them, revealing details about a challenging upbringing that won over some with his candor and perseverance. He also earned the support of influential political leaders including former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg.
The race to represent the Northeast portion of the college for a six-year term attracted a number of candidates to take on incumbent Leslie Sachanowicz, who had filled the seat since 2020. Garcia finished first in the May election, over DeLecour, Sachanowicz and former Alamo Colleges trustee Joe “Jesse” Sanchez, who was appointed to the board in 2017 and served until December 2020.
Garcia, who also serves on the UT San Antonio Alumni Association Board of Directors, managed to outpace them all in campaign donations, reaching $16,842 in campaign contributions between February and April, and adding $4,745 by April 23, according to campaign finance reports.
DeLecour, 77, had the support of current and former Alamo Colleges faculty members, who she credited for bringing her out of retirement to seek this seat. Campaign contributions were lower for DeLecour, reaching $1,915 between February and April, and another $4,705 by April 23.
Before the numbers were final, DeLecour said she was grateful and proud of the team that helped her run the campaign, which included current and former faculty members and students. She was optimistic about her team running a grassroots campaign that focused on the needs of faculty, staff and students. The campaign brought up important issues, she said, that now whoever serves on it wouldn’t have been able to ignore.
“I’ve learned a lot of things about people. I’ve learned a lot of things about myself. I’ve learned a lot about the board of trustees,” DeLecour said.
The San Antonio Report partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.
