Uvalde mayoral candidate Kimberly Mata-Rubio, right, speaks with Uvalde resident Antonia Rios, left, alongside campaign manager Dr. Laura Barberena, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Uvalde, Texas.
This is the first mayoral election in Uvalde since the May 24, 2022, shooting. The gunman carried out the attack in a fourth-grade classroom with an AR-style rifle, a weapon Mata-Rubio has called on lawmakers to ban in the wake of losing her daughter, 10-year-old Lexi. Two teachers were also killed in the shooting.
Since her daughter’s death, Mata-Rubio has became one of Uvalde’s most outspoken parents. She has testified before Congress and helped launch a nonprofit called Lives Robbed that pushes for stricter gun laws.in the aftermath of the shooting. He is stepping down to run next year as a Republican for a seat in the Texas Legislature.