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The race to replace retiring State Rep. Ray Lopez in Texas House District 125 is headed to a Democratic runoff.
Adrian Reyna, a former middle school teacher, will face former Bexar County Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela on May 26. The district covers parts of San Antonio’s West and Northwest sides and includes the city of Leon Valley.
Reyna spent 15 years teaching at Longfellow Middle School in the San Antonio Independent School District. One of his former students, 21-year-old George Salazar, was among the more than 5,000 voters who supported him in the primary.
“I believe he’s fighting for the teachers and fighting for the people,” Salazar said.
Barrientes Vela spent more than three decades in law enforcement in San Antonio. She was convicted in 2022 of tampering with records, but the conviction was later overturned on appeal and she was acquitted.
She says she’s eager to return to public service and that her priorities include public safety, education and criminal justice reform.
“We have a lot of work to do going forward because we plan to represent District 125 in the near future,” Barrientes Vela said.
On the Republican side, businessman Ricardo “Rick” Martinez won his party’s primary and will face the Democratic nominee in November.
Lopez, who has represented District 125 since 2019, announced earlier this year that he would not seek reelection.
