![\"From](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/92466820007-cct-elex-fin.png\")
<\/p>\nOct. 28, 2026, 4:46 a.m. CT<\/p>\n
Seven candidates are running for mayor of Corpus Christi in the upcoming Nov. 3 election.The race includes incumbent Mayor Paulette Guajardo, two current City Council members, and four political newcomers.<\/p>\n
Seven people want to be your mayor, and Nov. 3 could bring a change to Corpus Christi\u2019s current leadership.<\/p>\n
The mayor\u2019s role has, traditionally, been largely that of a figurehead \u2014 the lead face of Corpus Christi in governmental, community and diplomatic relations, acting as an advocate and as a promoter of the city.<\/p>\n
On a practical level, the position has limited additional power compared to the other eight City Council members \u2014 for example, his or her vote carries the same weight \u2014\u00a0but the mayor still plays a primary hand in crafting council agendas, presiding over what can be lengthy meetings and, in the big picture, setting direction of the council and the city.<\/p>\n
The stakes, however, were higher in the current term as the city faced down what appeared to be an imminent water emergency,\u00a0with all the world seemingly watching.<\/p>\n
In less than a week, voters will decide whether incumbent Mayor Paulette Guajardo will keep her top office or if one of six challengers may take her place.<\/p>\n
Among those vying for Guajardo\u2019s spot are two other current City Council members, Kaylynn Paxson and Gil Hernandez, as well as political newcomers Dave Heasley, David Ainsworth Sr. and Chelise Hyatt. \u00a0<\/p>\n
John Calkusic previously ran for mayor in the last election cycle, garnering 0.86% of votes cast in the 2024 race.<\/p>\n
Neither Ainsworth nor Calkusic responded to the Caller-Times\u2019 requests for interviews.<\/p>\n
Kaylynn Paxson![\"Kaylynn](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/92062208007-kaylynn-paxson-2.jpg\")
Paxson, 36, has served one term as representative of District 4, the district largely comprising Flour Bluff and North Padre Island.<\/p>\n
Her decision to step away from her post in pursuit of higher office was driven by belief that \u201cthe city needs new leadership and it starts at the top,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that this city needs a mayor who focuses on the people and is going to bring attention to the things that really improve and benefit the residents\u2019 lives,\u201d Paxson said.<\/p>\n
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Paxson acted as mayor during Guajardo\u2019s 30-day suspension, a penalty imposed by a council tribunal related to a controversial $2 million tax incentive package.<\/p>\n
As mayor pro tem, she had presided over Guajardo\u2019s disciplinary hearing.<\/p>\n
While filling in for the role from Aug. 8 through Sept. 6, she focused on listening and respectfulness, showing \u201chow quickly the environment can change,\u201d Paxson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot that can be improved just by having the right leader,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd that was kind of the biggest thing to me, was how that change happened very quickly and it showed me that it\u2019s very possible for us to have a leadership that puts the people first.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paxson has been a staunch opponent of the Inner Harbor project \u2014 among her reasons potential environmental impacts, price tag and capacity. She has instead endorsed the Nueces River Authority\u2019s proposed Harbor Island desalination plant, a route to \u201clong-term sustainable water supply that\u2019s going to provide enough water for the residents, the businesses and room to grow,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
While water has been the largest focus on the City Council in the current term, there are other priorities that must have attention, Paxson said, including residential streets, jobs and ensuring \u201cwe have good policies in place for accountability.\u201d<\/p>\n
A self-employed contractor, Paxson recently ended an economic development consulting position with Aransas Pass, a decision made to focus fully on the election, she said.<\/p>\n
Paxson believes Corpus Christi \u201cvoters want a change.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they want a change, that\u2019s what they need to vote for \u2014 it\u2019s fresh candidates, fresh ideas,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m humbly asking for their support as someone to bring some new, fresh ideas to this election and this campaign and to this city, really.\u201d<\/p>\n
David Ainsworth Sr.<\/p>\n
Ainsworth did not respond to several Caller-Times requests for an interview.<\/p>\n
Paulette Guajardo![\"Paulette](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/92386929007-paulette-guajardo-final.jpg\")
Guajardo, 54, has served on the City Council for 10 years \u2014 her first two terms as one of three at-large representatives and the past four terms as mayor.<\/p>\n
Should she be elected in November, it would be her final term.<\/p>\n
Seeking reelection is driven by a love of Corpus Christi and \u201cresponsibility to lead the city in the right direction and lead the community in the right direction,\u201d Guajardo said.<\/p>\n
In her experience as mayor, she has \u201clearned that leadership requires courage, especially when the decisions in front of you are difficult or unpopular,\u201d Guajardo said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn terms of listening, some of the most valuable conversations have been outside of City Hall, when you\u2019re listening to everyday people about what matters in their lives and what they expect from their elected officials,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Guajardo has likely been the most vocal supporter of the Inner Harbor desalination project \u2014 and has vowed to bring the proposal back to the council in January, should she retain her office \u2014 but has also supported groundwater, conservation and water reuse.<\/p>\n
Water will remain the top priority, she said, but there must be progress on other priorities, including streets, neighborhoods, sidewalks and public safety.<\/p>\n
There are ways to improve council communications, she said \u2014 disagreements are a part of governing but should not \u201cprevent us from doing the people\u2019s business.\u201d<\/p>\n
If elected, Guajardo said she would continue efforts \u201cto build consensus, to encourage open communication and keep our discussions focused on solutions, rather than personalities.\u201d<\/p>\n
With an upcoming legislative session, \u201cit\u2019s going to be very important that we have strong representation there that already has relationships in Austin and Washington, DC, to get things done and fix some things that need to be fixed and restore those relationships,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve dedicated years of my life to serving Corpus Christi and I still have the energy, the determination and the experience to get things done,\u201d Guajardo said. \u201cI think this election is critical to experienced leadership, strong leadership and putting Corpus Christi above politics.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gil Hernandez![\"Gil](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/91957021007-ay-1-y-9088.jpg\")
Hernandez, 57, has served on the City Council for four terms as District 5 representative, a large portion of the district composed of the Southside.<\/p>\n
His ambition hasn\u2019t been to become mayor of Corpus Christi, he said; rather, there is unfinished work that he wants to see through, feeling \u201cobligated to finish out that responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t want that to end that way, without getting an accomplishment on water and securing water for the next 50 years,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cThere\u2019s multiple projects happening right now, but I just want to make sure that we\u2019re doing these things the right way.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also work left for streets and infrastructure, he said. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Hernandez has opposed the Inner Harbor desalination project, largely based on financial reasoning, but supported others, including groundwater, water reuse and desalination at other locations.<\/p>\n
He often invokes a 2020 City Council meeting in which he had supported pursuing a water supply project in addition to the plans for the proposed Inner Harbor desalination plant.<\/p>\n
Hernandez lost the vote, he said.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, \u201cthe water crisis is entirely our own fault,\u201d Hernandez said, describing a missed opportunity to work with the Port of Corpus Christi Authority on a desalination project.<\/p>\n
\u201cI say that because if we would have started any one of these projects we\u2019re doing now \u2014 wastewater reuse, groundwater \u2014 just a year earlier or maybe two years earlier, we would have avoided the entire crisis of not having water,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is my goal to diversify our water supply as much as possible with multiple projects,\u201d he said. \u201cHowever, I do keep in mind that it has to be affordable \u2014 it\u2019s not water at any cost.\u201d<\/p>\n
A major priority, should he win mayor\u2019s office, is having a more robust debt management policy, Hernandez said.<\/p>\n
Hernandez has a favorite mantra that sums up his view on governance.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time I\u2019m sworn in, I say these words: It is not for us to pick winners and losers but to ensure that there\u2019s a fair playing ground for everybody to compete and be treated equally,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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![\"Chelise](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/92045081007-ay-1-y-9818.jpg\")
Hyatt, 44, is the development executive for Scouting America South Texas Council.<\/p>\n
She doesn\u2019t have a political background but became interested in city politics after hearing others voice \u201ctheir frustration at the things that are going on at the city.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI hadn\u2019t really been following everything very closely, so I started doing my research and seeing everything that the city is going through right now,\u201d Hyatt said. \u201cAnd as I started researching more and more, I started getting more frustrated.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hyatt ultimately determined that she was the most qualified candidate for the job and that it would be the position in which she could \u201cmake the biggest impact.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Inner Harbor desalination site was the wrong spot for a desalination plant at the outset, she said, but work should still be pursued because it is the facility closest to development.<\/p>\n
The brine should be piped out to the Gulf, however, and the Harbor Island proposal should still be pursued, Hyatt said.<\/p>\n
Improving council dynamics means listening and understanding people\u2019s motivations and goals, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the way that you get people to work together in any situation is you see what they want and I believe that in any area there will be at least a small portion that every single person agrees with,\u201d Hyatt said.<\/p>\n
Other issues that need attention include roads and homelessness, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTaxes keep going up; people aren\u2019t seeing a return on their investment as far as taxes go,\u201d Hyatt said. \u201cThere\u2019s the transparency in government that people are really concerned about. I think we can tackle all of those kind of at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aggressively pursuing grant funding could help bridge the gap on some of the quality-of-life programs that have been cut to balance the budget, she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve heard in several different forums people talking about how our relationships with Austin and with Washington has been eroded because our city cannot get along,\u201d Hyatt said. \u201cI have an advantage in that area because I have a fresh perspective. I\u2019ve never had any kind of issue with Austin or with Washington \u2014 on day one, I can go in a fresh face, a fresh person, a fresh perspective and start repairing those relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n
John Calkusic<\/p>\n
Calkusic did not respond to several Caller-Times requests for an interview.<\/p>\n
Dave Heasley![\"Dave](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/92383427007-dave-heasley-1.jpg\")
Heasley, 56, is a self-employed welder and mechanic, with past experience as an offshore captain.<\/p>\n
A lifelong Corpus Christi resident, he entered the mayoral race with no political experience.<\/p>\n
His interest in city government had been piqued, in part, by the Inner Harbor desalination talks, as well as the findings reached by the council tribunal in Guajardo\u2019s disciplinary hearing.<\/p>\n
Heasley described his prior occupation as an offshore captain as making\u00a0him familiar with desalination \u2014 desalination units on boats, and some land-based, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that Inner Harbor and desalination are like oxymoron words, heavy on the \u2018moron,\u2019\u201d Heasley said. \u201cWe don\u2019t do desalination in inner harbors, certainly not in petrochemical ship channels, if we\u2019re trying to make potable water for a city.\u201d<\/p>\n
Heasley also raised concerns about the potential environmental impacts of piping desalination brine and effluent into the bay.<\/p>\n
The Inner Harbor proposal was, he said, an attempt to get residents to \u201cpay for somebody else\u2019s water plant.\u201d<\/p>\n
The focus should instead be on managing the freshwater already available, Heasley said.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s a proponent for developing pump stations at Labonte Park and in the Bluntzer area that would be able to pump water from rains between the lake and the bay, directing the water back into the lake.<\/p>\n
Another potential idea are floating solar panels, Heasley said, which mitigate evaporation while also generating power.<\/p>\n
Another factor to running for office were the findings in Guajardo\u2019s removal hearing and \u201ccorruption going on in our government,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The council tribunal in August had reached findings that Guajardo had committed three violations of \u201cmisconduct, malfeasance, incompetence, or inability or willful neglect of performance of her official duties\u201d related to a $2 million tax incentive for a downtown Homewood Suites hotel.<\/p>\n
She has denied all wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
Heasley described \u201ccorruption that\u2019s killing our city\u201d and vowed that, if elected, he would address it.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur city is not going to heal and it\u2019s not going to get better until we get rid all of those problems,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kirsten Crow covers city government and water news. Have a story idea? Contact her at kirsten.crow@caller.com.<\/p>\n