Courage Wins Third Term For District 9
June 6, 2021 - San Antonio
Back to Work. John Courage slid into a third term for council person representing District 9. Courage led the election by gaining 53.86% of the vote, while his opponent Patrick Von Dohlen came in short with 46.14% of the vote. Courtesy Image.
By Trinity Dayton, Staff Intern | San Antonio Sentinel
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- John Courage, District 9 City Council incumbent surged into a third term on Saturday evening during the runoff election against conservative candidate, Patrick Von Dohlen.
- Courage led the election by gaining 53.86% of the vote, while Von Dohlen came in short with 46.14% of the vote.
John Courage, District 9 City Council incumbent surged into a third term on Saturday evening during the runoff election against conservative candidate, Patrick Von Dohlen. Courage led the election by gaining 53.86% of the vote, while Von Dohlen came in short with 46.14% of the vote.
Courage, a former serviceman, found his mark in San Antonio training for the U.S. Airforce, eventually making San Antonio his permanent home, starting his political career by serving on the Alamo Community College District Board of Trustees in 1980. He later went on to serve as a San Antonio Literacy Commission board member, eventually becoming a member on the San Antonio Teachers Council Board.
A month prior to the start of early voting, Courage stated in an interview by the San Antonio Report, his main focus in seeking a third term would be the pandemic response, bettering infrastructures in District 9, and numerous other improvement projects. He emphasized the need for rebuilding the district after the neighborhood faced numerous hardships during the winter storm of 2021 which adversely affected San Antonio residents' houses, power and water.
In the same interview, Courage spoke on his stance toward defunding the police, a controversial topic for residents in District 9. As a former police officer in the military, Courage does not support defunding the police and instead suggests research and alternative methods before making a rash decision.
In his victory for his third term as council member of District 9, Courage posted a picture on Facebook of supporters and organizers, celebrating with smiles and holding up campaign signs.
“Back to work on Monday.” Courage said.
In 2017, Von Dohlen attempted a run in representing District 9, but only succeeded in gaining 19.21% of the vote, leaving councilman Courage and challenger Marco Barros as the candidates. Again in 2019, Von Dohlen ran against Courage, Von Dohlen gaining only 40.7% of the vote, leaving Courage with a second term as council member for District 9.
Von Dohlen based his campaign on being a religious and family man, advocating for public safety and emphasizing a need for smaller government and rehabilitating small businesses hurt due to the COVID-19 lockdowns.
The City Council candidate for District 9 runner-up has gained recent media attention by being anti-LGBT, including filing a lawsuit to the City of San Antonio for not including a Chic-fil-A within the San Antonio airport.
As of press time, Von Dohlen has yet to comment on the election results.
Trinity Dayton is an English major, minoring in theatre at Texas State University. She is a life and arts reporter and a public relations assistant for the University Star. Email her at reporter@sasentinel.com