Katy Padilla Stout

A Champion for Texas Families

Katy Padilla Stout is a lifelong Texan, wife, mother, attorney, and former public school teacher who has dedicated her life to serving children, families, and communities across Texas’ 23rd Congressional District. Raised by a single mother, Katy understands firsthand the challenges working families face. Her family’s roots run deep in South Texas, her father and grandparents were migrant farm workers, and her great-grandfather worked as a custodian at the Bexar County Courthouse. Those humble beginnings shaped her belief in hard work, integrity, and the idea that everyone deserves a fair shot. As an elementary school teacher, she saw the realities facing students, parents, and educators, and it inspired her to do more. She went on to earn her law degree and became a child welfare and education lawyer, where she advocated for children and families in some of the most difficult circumstances.

Fighting for Texas Children, Health, and Opportunity

Katy has spent years working to strengthen the systems that protect Texas families. Since 2017, she has served on the Bexar County Child Welfare Board, helping improve outcomes for vulnerable children and families in crisis, and on the board of Artvango Therapeutic Services, supporting children impacted by abuse and trauma. As a mother of four, including two children adopted through foster care, her work is deeply personal, and she is committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive.

Katy believes access to quality, affordable health care is fundamental. She has been a strong advocate for expanding federal community health centers to ensure families — both rural and urban — can access preventive and lifesaving care. Katy also believes women’s reproductive rights must be protected, and that decisions about health care should remain between a woman and her doctor, not the government. She has been outspoken about Texas’ dangerously high maternal mortality rates and the barriers women face in accessing urgent care, calling it unacceptable that women must risk their lives to receive basic medical treatment. Katy Padilla Stout is running for Congress because she believes families in Texas deserve leadership grounded in integrity, service, and real solutions — not political stunts.

Take Back Power in TX-23

Katy Padilla Stout is running for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, a race that has become increasingly competitive for Democrats with Rep. Tony Gonzales’ withdrawal amid scandal and the Republican nomination of an extreme, controversial candidate. Katy’s deep roots in her community and proven record fighting for Texas children and families will make this seat even more competitive as we work to flip the U.S. House majority. EMILYs List is proud to support her in this race.