Bexar County vs. McMullen County
Heritage & Horizons
Few match-ups tell the story of Texas more clearly than Bexar County, home to San Antonio’s centuries-old missions, and McMullen County, a sprawling South Texas landscape of mesquite, oil, and ranching. Bexar is one of the state’s fastest-growing regions, where 2 million residents balance urban vibrancy with deep cultural heritage. McMullen, by contrast, has fewer than 800 residents across 1,100 square miles: a place where community still means everyone knows everyone. One looks to the future through innovation and expansion; the other safeguards a slower pace rooted in family and faith. Together they reflect the core challenge of modern Texas: honoring history while ensuring opportunity reaches every town, no matter its size.
Bexar County (approx. 2 million)
Centered around San Antonio, Bexar County blends a rich Hispanic heritage with a booming modern economy. Military bases, health-care research, tourism, and small business drive growth. Challenges include housing affordability, traffic congestion, and maintaining infrastructure for a rapidly expanding population.
McMullen County (approx. 800)
McMullen County sits between San Antonio and Laredo in the brush country of South Texas. Ranching, oil, and hunting sustain its economy. Challenges include population decline, access to health care, and sustaining rural schools and broadband connectivity.
Why It Matters
Bexar County debates center on managing explosive growth — transportation, housing, and equitable opportunity. McMullen debates center on how to keep essential services alive as populations thin and younger generations move away. Both ask how Texas can grow without leaving communities behind.
Why Forward
Forward’s vision bridges these divides.
In Bexar County, open primaries and Ranked Choice Voting would reward leaders who represent the whole community: urban residents, military families, and small-business owners alike; rather than candidates chosen in low-turnout partisan contests. Fair maps would ensure neighborhoods across San Antonio have a genuine voice on issues such as transit, housing, and water.
In McMullen County, those same reforms would keep rural voters visible in Austin. Open primaries would let independents and moderates run without party gatekeepers, while Ranked Choice Voting would empower consensus-builders who can unite ranchers, educators, and energy workers.
Forward believes in letting Texans innovate locally: whether through regional broadband co-ops or shared water projects, communities should decide what works best for them. From the River Walk to the Rio Grande brushlands, the path forward is built on listening, fairness, and local freedom.
Did You Know…
Bexar County is home to the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Texas’ only UNESCO World Heritage Site.
McMullen County’s town of Tilden was originally named “Dog Town,” a frontier trading post dating back to 1858.
Why Texans Love Living Here
Bexar County residents love their blend of heritage and hustle: mariachi music, Spurs pride, Fiesta week, and neighbors who still say buenos días. McMullen County locals love the land itself: quiet mornings, open skies, and a lifestyle built around faith, family, and hard work. Both remind us that Texas hospitality is strongest where community runs deep.
Key Events That Bring Neighbors Together
Fiesta San Antonio: a 10-day cultural celebration featuring parades, food, and music across the city each spring.
McMullen County Fair & Tilden Lions Club Rodeo: local youth rodeo, BBQ cook-off, and family festival that brings the county together.
People & Tech Created This
The profiles and shared challenges were gathered from Texas Forward Party supporters and written using ChatGPT and Gemini models to combine verified public data, official county/state sources, and general knowledge from Texas historical and government records, including, but not limited to:
