Renard Johnson, Brian Kennedy likely headed to runoff in El Paso mayoral race

Businessman Renard Johnson and city Rep. Brian Kennedy appear to be headed to a runoff for the mayoral seat of the city of El Paso, early voting results show.

Johnson garnered about 36% of the early votes; with Kennedy receiving about 26% in the eight-way race. City Reps. Cassandra Hernandez and Isabel Salcido received 9% and 6% of the early votes, respectively.

Johnson, 58, owns METI Inc, a systems engineering and information technology company, as well as the El Perro Grande tequila brand. He's also developed real estate projects. Johnson skyrocketed over his opponents in fundraising, bringing in about $890,000 since launching his campaign in January. Johnson would be the first Black mayor if he's elected into office.

Kennedy, 68, an attorney and events and entertainment consultant, was elected to represent District 1 in December 2022. His term was set to expire in January 2027. Because he had more than a year left in his term, he'll have to resign his city representative seat in January.

Johnson's and Kennedy's campaigns intensified the past month with the involvement of a Houston-based political action committee that spent $150,000 promoting Johnson and opposing Kennedy.

Hernandez, 37, was elected to represent District 3 on the city's Eastside and Lower Valley in 2016. She'll remain in office through January, when the new representative for the district is sworn in.

Salcido, 39, a businesswoman, represents the Far Eastside's District 5 on City Council and had two years left in her term. She will have to give up her seat when her replacement takes office in January to serve the remainder of the term.

The other four candidates – Marco Antonio Contreras, Steven Winters, Ben Mendoza and Elizabeth Cordova – split the remainder of the votes.

The runoff election will be Dec. 14.

The winner will be sworn into office in January and will take over the seat held by Mayor Oscar Leeser, who has served two terms and could not run for reelection. The position is nonpartisan.

The mayor is not a voting member of the City Council, but he or she can break ties, veto legislation, propose legislation and appoint members to powerful boards and commissions with council approval. The only time the mayor's veto power cannot be used is when it comes to hiring or firing the city manager or city attorney.