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San Antonio educator Adrian Reyna built a commanding early lead over former Bexar County Precinct 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela in Tuesday’s Democratic runoff for Texas House District 125, winning roughly 80% of the early vote total, according to initial returns.
The district covers parts of San Antonio’s West and Northwest sides.
Reyna, a San Antonio Independent School District teacher and labor activist, campaigned heavily on public education, affordability and working-class economic issues. During an appearance earlier this month on TPR’s “The Source,” Reyna said he wanted to bring traditional Democratic priorities to the Texas Legislature.
“It’s pretty clear right now which party is speaking to the people that I serve in schools and I also work alongside,” Reyna said. “So, I want to make sure that we have somebody up in Austin who's fighting for the policies that are going to reflect and strengthen the communities that we come from.”
Reyna frequently focused on rising costs during the campaign.
“I just went to the grocery store H-E-B this weekend, and we were flabbergasted with the price tag — and we're just buying some basics, some essentials,” Reyna said. “We have to lower grocery bills.”
He also argued Texas should require data centers to pay more of the costs associated with growing energy demands.
“These are billion-dollar corporations that absolutely have the means to pay for these,” Reyna said.
Barrientes Vela sought a political comeback centered on her law enforcement background and experience as a former elected constable, but her candidacy also renewed attention on controversies during her tenure as Precinct 2 constable.
In 2020, she was arrested and charged with aggravated perjury, tampering with evidence and official oppression tied to Rodriguez Park security-payment logs. A jury later convicted her on two felony tampering charges before the Eighth Court of Appeals overturned the convictions and rendered a judgment of acquittal in 2024.
Barrientes Vela described the ruling as a “full exoneration.”
If the lead holds, Reyna will face Republican nominee Ricardo “Rick” Martinez, a lighting company owner, in the November general election.
The race will determine who succeeds longtime Democratic state Rep. Ray Lopez, who did not seek reelection.
