A former city council member and former UT adjunct faculty member announced a campaign for Texas state representative on Monday.
Kathie Tovo will run as a Democrat for House District 49, which includes the University, West Campus, Downtown Austin and parts of South Austin. Tovo previously represented UT and West Campus in the City Council and came third in last year’s mayoral race. Tovo is the first Democrat to announce a run in a seat that has voted for a Democrat in every election since 1990.
“I’ve stood up to powerful interests on the Austin City Council, and I’m ready to stand up for District 49,” Tovo wrote in an email. “Throughout my public service, I’ve demonstrated my ability to be thoughtful and prepared while ensuring fairness during the legislative process. I’ll bring my critical eye and my dedication to thorough examination to the State House.”
The seat is currently held by State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, who announced her campaign for governor on Oct. 15. Hinojosa has held the seat since 2017.
Tovo said she will advocate for disaster preparedness, environmental issues and public education. She also said she will fight for the academic freedom of University faculty and students.
“Universities should be a place where we’re encouraging free speech and academic freedom, and that is under attack right now,” Tovo said.
The race for House District 49 was previously uncontested, with government junior Arshia Papari, a member of the Green Party, running for the seat.
“I’m honored to see that there’s plenty of choice for the people in this race and that the voters will be able to become educated and make up their minds about who they want representing them,” Papari said.