Mary Casillas Salas (born March 17, 1948) is an American politician who served as the 40th mayor of Chula Vista, California from 2014 to 2022.

Salas' father, is one of 9 children of Felix and Urbana Casillas, who once lived in the La Punta adobe, after moving to the United States, through El Paso, from Mexico.

Salas earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work in San Diego State University.

[3] In college, she became involved with MANA de San Diego, a women's organization that mentors young Latinas, which led her into city politics.

As a councilwoman, she chaired the University Working Group to establish a higher education center in the region and co-chaired the Blue Ribbon Committee for the "San Diego County Preschool for All."

[6] This included leading an effort for the city to adopt the Mills Act, giving owners of historic houses tax breaks for property repair.

In 2002, Salas ran in the open-race for mayor against fellow city councilmember and political ally Steve Padilla, but lost.

[1][4] Salas had placed a narrow first in the first-round of the election, but had failed to receive a full majority of the vote, thus triggering a runoff.

[4] These included Bob Filner, as well organizations such as the AFSCME, Chula Vista Employees Association, and United Domestic Workers.

[6] Salas proposed fast-tracking roadway projects to alleviate traffic congestion stemming from the city's rapid growth.

[11] A tense race from its inception, in the closing days of the general election, things became particularly hostile as both candidates assailed each other's records.

She represented the 79th district which includes the communities of National City, Coronado, Imperial Beach and parts of Chula Vista and San Diego.

Salas' pledge for a second term as mayor was that she would work to bring a four-year university to Chula Vista, complete the multi-billion dollar Bayfront development, address infrastructure concerns, and hire more police officers and firefighters.

One was Hector Gastelum, a Republican serving as a member of the Otay Water District and working as a realtor with the firm Big Block Realty.

[28] Arthur Kende, who had taught at San Diego Jobs Corps for the previous eight years, was the youngest candidate, at age 36, and the only one without government experience.

[28] Castelum campaigned as a conservative opposed to "big government" and "political correctness", and an enemy of the organization Planned Parenthood.

[30] The tweet in question read, "Let's pressure our legislature to create a list of so-called #MuslimBan to prevent #SubHuman #Scum from #USA to #MAGA".