Black Democrat Elected Mayor In Deep-Red Texas City

'People see me for who I am, not for the party," Wilitz said.
By Susie Madrak — May 6, 2026

In Texas, Pearland's new mayor, Quentin Wiltz, won a close election on Saturday, but his victory has sparked heated debate on social media.

Wiltz said he knows there is a divide in Pearland, but added it's a chasm he hopes to bridge when he becomes the city's next mayor.

He recognized the historic nature of his win: he will be Pearland's first Black mayor and the first Democrat in decades.

"This election was important because the mayor's race is at large. So every person who showed up mattered," Wiltz told ABC13. "My message hasn't changed. It's always, will, and continues to be about the people. The people that I serve, the people that I know, the people that I meet. Because that's what I think public office is about."

Wiltz won the election by 263 votes out of 11,743 cast. He is hopeful about the growing city's future despite its infrastructure and budget challenges, and he wants to hear from residents.

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