Celia Israel Makes “Exploratory” Move Toward 2022 Mayor’s Race: State rep not seeking a fifth term in Texas House – News

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State representative Celia Israel (Photo by Jana Birchum)

Someone had to take the first step, and State Representative Celia Israel got into that person on Wednesday morning, September 22nd, announcing her “exploratory committee” of community leaders ready to assist her in the Austin 2022 mayoral campaign.

This election, to succeed the temporary Steve Adler, will last no more than a year, with no primaries, so that other fish have plenty of time to jump in the pond, such as former Mayor Kirk Watson or Councilor Kathie Tovo; The submission of candidates will not begin until next summer. But there is not much time left for Israel, which has been considering a mayoral election since last winter to avoid candidates for their seat in House District 50 in north and east Travis County; Registration for primary school on March 1st begins in mid-November.

“To be clear, my commitment to this exploratory effort means that I will not seek re-election for my seat in the Texas House,” Israel said in a statement announcing its beginning election campaign. “I’ve shared this privately with my colleagues in the Travis County Delegation … and value their friendship over the years more than words can express. Rest assured, my staff and I will not go without it, for our constituents, my colleagues in the House, and others who need our attention on the critical issues that Texas will face over the next year and several months of this term. do not resign. ”(Israel’s full statement and the list of its exploratory committee are provided below.)

It’s not an easy thing to give up on what, even after the redistribution, will likely still be a safe Democratic seat in a Texan house where Israel became a prominent Democratic leader – an organizer of the very first House LGBTQ Caucus, a go-to lawmaker too Transportation and voting rights in previous meetings and a face of the House Dems quorum breach this summer to DC where she got COVID-19. Israel also chaired the House of Representatives Democratic Campaign Committee in 2020, which raised a lot of money for the ultimately futile effort to turn the house around. So why now turn away from the Lege and in the direction of the town hall?

“I’ve gotten a lot of encouragement from friends, some of whom have known me since my 20s and now in my 50s, and say this is a great opportunity and that I am ‘just the right person’ for it,” she told The Chronicle earlier this week . “And I wanted to explore and understand what they mean. Why me? Why now? So I said let’s put a real committee together and your responsibility is to help me make more friends and explore more opportunities. “

A native of El Paso, an Austinite since 1982, he first became known to the public in the early 1990s as an advisor to Governor Ann Richards. Thereafter, before entering the Lege in 2013, Israel spent much of its time and attention as an up-and-coming community leader on Austin’s Clinton and Bush-year lunch-bucket topics – quality public transportation and decent housing, human resource development, and helping small businesses. Environmental justice on the East Side, civil rights for LGBTQ + Texans like her and her partner Celinda Garza, criminal law reform. Those causes didn’t have the fanbase they have today, and often involved incremental gains, good education for a future Texas House Democrat.

Israel describes itself as “always an activist at heart,” but notes that she made many of these advances within the system, on city boards and in the Hispanic Chamber, as well as on bond committees and Austin’s first police oversight body, before today’s ecosystem for the There was progressive politics. “It can be a drudgery and it is exhausting and it is exhausting,” she told us, “bringing people together and … helping our city to be the great American city that we are. But Austin is worth it. I expect us to do great things and I hope people will share with me what they think these great things could be. “

Their house district is itself the most ethnically and economically diverse in Travis County, including farmland and colonies and landfills in the East of the Crescent, the fastest growing parts of Pflugerville along Texas 130, distressed apartment complexes near Rundberg Lane, the Republican Redoubts and Great Hills estates, many of Austin’s central gateway neighborhoods in Asia, and their own North Lamar neighbors. “I am a working class girl,” Israel told us. “I understand the frustration of waiting for the lights to turn left on Braker Lane.” She is a real estate agent by profession and is licensing to support her “expensive habit” of public service; her partner supplies food for HEB. Speaking about her candidacy for mayor, Israel told us, “I was surprised at how dissatisfied I am with the city government,” even among the supporters of the Council’s progressive agenda. “With words like ‘kaputt’.”

Some of the elders and colleagues Israel has worked with along the way – people like Austin NAACP leader Nelson Linder, former MP Glen Maxey, art attorney Martha Cotera, and former councilor Chris Riley – accepted the assignment to help her To “explore” Austin. needs and what his next mayor would ask for. So do younger leaders like social entrepreneur Ruben Cantu, housing activist Greg Anderson, former councilor Pooja Sethi, and Austin Community College trustee Sean Hassan. “I feel like I can never be easily categorized – woman, Latina, LGBT, left handed Longhorn – but I like that I’m different. And I’m just a chick trying to do good, but I’m supported by a lot of other people who believe in me. “

“Meeting the demands of this challenging time”

A statement by State Representative Celia Israel on her next steps and the strength of our community

My political mentor, Ann Richards, liked to quote one of hers. “Any donkey can tear down a barn,” said Sam Rayburn, East Texas populist and former House spokesman, “but you need a carpenter to build one.”

Well, after four legislative sessions and all of the special sessions that went with them, I’m ready for a new challenge where carpenters are welcome, where science and fact guide decision-making, and where compassion and respect are the norm for ordinary Texans. not the exception.

So today I’m announcing the formation of an exploratory committee for the Austin Mayor as I begin a series of community talks about what the future of Austin needs.

From the pandemic to the legislative attacks on women, communities of color and trans children, I know I am not the only one who has thought about how best to use our talents to meet the demands of these challenging times . And in an increasingly urbanized Texas, local government may seem messy and lackluster, but this is where neighbors actively come together to solve problems.

I have served the city as a member of the environmental committee, the police oversight committee, a bond advisory committee, and the Mueller redevelopment advisory committee. From these volunteer positions to my committee work in the legislature, I’ve proven that I’m not afraid of the hard work, the technical challenges and coalition formation that it takes to keep a city moving.

Austin has long been selling “lifestyle” but sometimes, I’m afraid, at the expense of our sense of community: the spirit of what binds us, belonging and being part of something bigger than ourselves. Austin faces some real challenges, from the Homelessness up to the affordability crisis that is pushing too many families out of our city. If we come together and unlock our city’s broad talent base, from nonprofits to neighborhood leaders to volunteers and tech entrepreneurs, I believe these are issues that we can and will overcome.

The heartbeat of a city is that people from all walks of life work together and learn from one another. That is why I am proud that the founding core of my exploratory committee is diverse, with a wide range of lived experiences. As we try to bridge the rifts in our city, I have hired them to take me to every corner of our city, to bring constituencies and neighbors together, where we can exchange ideas and concerns and, most importantly, listen.

The members of this exploratory committee are:

Greg Anderson • Charlie Bonner • Rubén Cantú • Martha Cotera • Blanca Zamora García • Ash Hall • Hon. Sean Hassan • Nelson Linder • Hon. Glen Maxey • Terry Mitchell • Julie Oliver • Hon. Chris Riley • Shuronda Robinson • Gary Schumann • Eugene Sepulveda • Pooja Sethi • Danielle Skidmore • Kerry Tate • Pedro A. Villalobos • Alice Yi

To be clear, my commitment to this exploratory effort means I will not seek re-election for my seat in the Texas House. I shared this privately with my colleagues in the Travis County delegation – carpenters, all of them! – and appreciate their friendship over the years more than words can express. Please rest assured that my staff and I will not forego it, fully and for our constituents, my colleagues in the House, and others who need our attention in the critical issues that Texas will face over the next year and several months of this term in office to be fully present.

I am grateful for the encouragement I have received from so many friends old and new. And my optimism for the future of our city is based on my conviction that there is no challenge that we cannot master if we strengthen our sense of community.

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