Javier Villalobos, a Republican, has won a mayor’s seat in Texas currently held by a Democrat by a small margin, according to unofficial election results.
Whitacre received 4,538 votes.
Both candidates are currently McAllen city commissioners but serve in different districts.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott congratulated Villalobos on the victory.
Whitacre’s campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment by press time.
McAllen, located at the southern tip of The Lone Star State in the Rio Grande Valley, is a hub for illegal border crossings. The city is struggling to balance the benefits of border trade with the pressure on the budget caused by the inflow of illegal immigrants.
McAllen Mayor Jim Darling announced on Dec. 14, 2020, that he will not run again for election after 43 years of public service.
The candidates’ viewpoints on immigration didn’t appear to play a key role in the mayoral election, as Villalobos and Whitacre hold similar views. Both have said that the handling of illegal immigrants is the duty of the federal government and that the city should be paid for it. Both have urged for the border to remain open for trade.
“I don’t even think it’s worth talking [about] anymore,” Villalobos said. “I know the issues we have are not really the border wall, but reconstructing the levees to protect our residents. Whether somebody was for or against, that’s honestly not an issue anymore.”
Villalobos ran on a typically Republican pro-business platform, being against higher taxes.
He also believes the $15 an hour minimum wage will kill small businesses in McAllen.