Justin Boggs
Uvalde-area Democrat Gutierrez vying for Ted Cruz's Senate seat
Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez became a vocal advocate for gun control laws following last year's mass school shooting in Uvalde.
LEARN MOREPosted: 2:59 p.m. EDT Jul 28, 2023
Kimberly Mata-Rubio, mother of Lexi Rubio, who was shot and killed during last year's mass shooting at Robb Elementary School, announced she is running for mayor of Uvalde, Texas.
The Uvalde Leader-News was first to report her announcement.
"I grieve for the woman you would have become and all the difference you would have made in this world," Mata-Rubio tweeted with a photo of her announcement. "I grieve for the woman I was when you were still here. But, one part of me still exist, I am still your mom. I will honor your life with action. This is only the beginning."
This is her first time seeking elected office, but she has been civically active. She was part of the Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors.
Since the May 2022 mass shooting that claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers, Mata-Rubio has joined a chorus of parents demanding changes to gun laws. For instance, she pushed for the passage of a gun bill that would raise the age for buying some semiautomatic firearms to age 21.
As mayor, however, she would have little ability to have any say over gun laws within the city. State law prohibits any local gun laws that supersede the state's.
The Uvalde Leader-News reported she would become the first woman ever elected as the town's mayor if she wins.
The special election is being held in November as the city's current mayor, Don McLaughlin, is stepping down.
