Sucher, Anzaldua rematch set for Gonzales mayoral race

The 2025 race for Gonzales mayor will be a rematch of the 2022 runoff election as incumbent Mayor S.H. “Steve” Sucher will face a challenge from local businessman Isaac Anzaldua.

The filing period to run for office in the May 3 municipal and school board elections ended Friday, Feb. 14. All four cities (Gonzales, Nixon, Smiley and Waelder) will hold contested elections, while just one of the three local school districts (Gonzales ISD) will need to hold an election due to having multiple candidates sign up to run.

Gonzales

Because of the way Gonzales sets up its elections, the mayoral race is always the only one on the ballot every three years and takes the spotlight. And if the candidates seem familiar, it is because Sucher and Anzaldua were the candidates who ran against each other in the June 2022 runoff election, which Sucher narrowly won by a 544-493 margin.

Sucher is a former small-town journalist and college director of development while Anzaldua owns Next Concept Motorsports and also works as a college athletics recruiter for Nelson University (formerly SAGU).

Gonzales ISD

There are two spots on the ballot for Gonzales ISD in the May 3 election: District 1 and District 2. In District 1, incumbent trustee Gloria Torres, an insurance agent for more than 40 years, will face a challenge from Alejandra “Ale” Hernandez, an AMR Operations Specialist at Guadalupe Valley Electric Company.

In District 2, incumbent trustee Justin Schwausch, the board vice president who is also a GIS Technician II at Guadalupe Valley Electric Company, will be challenged by Rocky Gallegos, owner and head barber at Come and Fade It Barbershop & Salon.

Nixon

Four individuals have signed up to run for the three available at-large spots on the Nixon City Council. They are incumbents Patsy Scherrer and Patricia Dingler, Jessica Garcia and TJ Lopez. A third incumbent, Justin La Fleur, is not running for office.

Smiley

Three at-large positions on the Smiley City Council are available on the ballot and there is a large field of candidates who signed up to run. In addition to incumbents Lori Price, Daniel Benavides and Diane Moreno, other candidates running are Wayne Dauer, Michael Mills, Michelle Mills, Michaela Mills and Elisa Douglas.

Waelder

Following the 2024 death of Mayor Roy Tovar, incumbent City Councilmember Mike Harris was appointed mayor pro tem and acting mayor until a special election could be held on May 3. Harris has filed to run to finish out Tovar’s remaining one-year unexpired term and will face Diana C. Olmos. If Harris wins, the council would appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of his term until May 2026.

The regular election sees three at-large spots for a two-year term that would expire May 2027. In addition to incumbents Martha Melchor, Rachel Vargas Martinez and Marie Ibarra Almaraz, others running include Dora Martinez, Margie Zapata, Curtis Hadnot Jr. and Adam Ibarra.

Nixon-Smiley CISD

There will not be a need for an election in Nixon-Smiley CISD as only the incumbents, Mark Mendez (Place 1), Lester Warzecha (Place 5) and Jimmy Newman (Place 7) filed to run. The election will be canceled and all three will be declared elected without opposition.

Waelder ISD

No one registered to oppose the current board members on the Waelder ISD board, so Troy Sullivan and Avery Williams will be declared elected without opposition and the election canceled.