Six Candidates Run for Mission Mayor

Incumbent Norie Gonzalez Garza is seeking a second term in the Texas city's mayoral race.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections

Wide photograph of a modest cream stucco municipal building with terracotta tile roof and tall windows under a clear South Texas sky, with a single flagpole. — Incumbent Norie Gonzalez Garza is seeking a second term as mayor of Mission, Texas, in a six-candidate race that includes trial attorney Rick Salinas and Mayor Pro Tem Ruben Plata. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Six people are running for mayor of Mission, Texas, including incumbent Norie Gonzalez Garza, the city's first woman elected mayor, who announced her candidacy for a second term in July. The field includes trial attorney Rick Salinas and sitting Mayor Pro Tem Ruben Plata.

Why it matters

The race will determine who leads Mission's city government after the November 2026 election, with candidates citing legal, banking and council experience as qualifications. The contest also features a candidate whose father previously held the office.

Six candidates have entered the Mission mayoral race, with incumbent Norie Gonzalez Garza seeking reelection. Candidates' platforms and the full list of qualifying filings were not detailed in the extraction.

The players

Norie Gonzalez Garza

Norie Gonzalez Garza is the incumbent mayor of Mission and was the city's first woman elected to the office.

Rick Salinas

Rick Salinas is a trial attorney with more than 30 years of legal experience and the son of former Mission mayor Norberto "Beto" Salinas.

Ruben Plata

Ruben Plata is the Mayor Pro Tem of Mission and has served on the city council since 2007.

The details

Candidates announced their campaigns through campaign videos, websites and launch statements. Ruben Plata, who has served on the Mission council since 2007, officially announced his bid in July, while Rick Salinas, a trial attorney, is the son of former mayor Norberto "Beto" Salinas.

1977: Norie Gonzalez Garza graduated from Mission High School.
1998 to 2018: Norberto "Beto" Salinas served as mayor of Mission.
2007: Ruben Plata began serving on the Mission council.
2018 to 2022: Armando "Doc" O'Cana Sr. served as mayor of Mission.
July: Several candidates announced their mayoral bids.

Political Context

The candidacy of Rick Salinas, son of Mayor Norberto "Beto" Salinas, who led Mission from 1998 to 2018, places a prior administration's legacy directly before voters. Incumbent Norie Gonzalez Garza, seeking a second term, must defend her record against challengers with long municipal ties.

Mission residents will choose a mayor in the November 2026 election from among six candidates. Voters weighing the field can compare the candidates' stated professional and council experience.

The takeaway

Mission voters face a field pairing a sitting mayor with candidates who bring legal, banking and council experience. Reviewing each candidate's background before November offers a clear basis for choosing among them.