SAN ANTONIO – Candidates for the upcoming San Antonio mayoral race began filing to run Wednesday morning.
The first person to officially file for the May 9 election is Army combat veteran Paul Martinez.
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The San Antonio native is new to politics. Although he's going to be running against some big names, he said he feels like he has a lot to offer.
"We as a society have lost our desire to vote, to exercise our constitutional right to vote," he said. "It's because we've lost faith in our government. We've lost faith in our elected officials and so I'm here to change that."
The second person to file is another political newcomer, Pogo Mochello Allen-Reese, a retired Army veteran-turned-political activist.
The third person to cast his name into the ring was former Texas Rep. Mike Villarreal. He said he has a vision of growth for the Alamo City that would maintain the city's charm.
"My agenda is all about growing 21st century jobs (and) keeping our public finances as a city rock solid so that we can make investments in streets and infrastructure to keep up with our growing population," he said.
More candidates were expected to file Wednesday, including Texas Sen. Leticia Van de Putte.
Former Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson said he plans to file Tuesday.
San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor has not indicated whether she plans to run.
Potential candidates have until Feb. 27 to file, so the list is likely to continue to grow.