Former Bexar County Democratic Party chair Monica Ramirez Alcántara is rallying fellow Democrats to unseat a member of their own party in 2026.
Alcántara stepped down from the party chair role after the November election and confirmed to the San Antonio Report on Wednesday that she plans to run for District Clerk in 2026.
“I’ve been a litigation paralegal for 32 years — prior to ever stepping into the realm of a Democratic Party chairwoman — so my whole life and my heart has been working in the legal field and helping that community in the realm of personal injury and mass torts,” Alcántara said.
“There’s a large need at the district clerk’s office to have new leadership and to have things run more efficiently.”
On Thursday, she’ll make a formal announcement at a “birthday bash” fundraiser, featuring a number of past and present elected Democrats on the host committee: Former Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, Sheriff Javier Salazar and state Rep. Ray Lopez.
Current District Clerk Gloria A. Martinez, also a Democrat, started her career in the clerk’s office and was elected in 2022.
Martinez did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It’s an unusual move for elected officials to come out against an incumbent from their own party in the primary, but Alcántara has many connections from her time as party chair.
“Not only has Monica supported me throughout my entire political career, she has herself shown outstanding leadership qualities in her own political career,” Salazar said in a statement. “As a result, I’m proud to throw my support behind her in anything she does.”
Alcántara unseated incumbent Manuel Medina for the party chair role in 2018 and was reelected three times.
She’s has taken heat for election violations in those race.
A 2024 Texas Tribune report said she owed $13,600 in unpaid fines to the Texas Ethics Commission. Her campaign said Wednesday that she has “been diligent in making payment arrangements to pay down the agreed judgement.”
Pancho Velazquez, a local Democratic activist who filed one of the ethics complaints against Alcántara, said the situation should be disqualifying.
“This woman is a serial ethics scofflaw and I will work tirelessly to beat her,” Velazquez said. “She can’t file her campaign records and wants to be in charge of judicial records.”
