EMILYs List Congratulates Celia Israel on Advancing to the Runoff in Austin Mayoral Race

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 9, 2022

EMILYs List Congratulates Celia Israel on Advancing to the Runoff in Austin Mayoral Race

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, congratulates Celia Israel on advancing to the runoff election in the Austin, Texas mayoral race. EMILYs List President Laphonza Butler released the following statement:

“EMILYs List congratulates Celia Israel on advancing to the runoff election in Austin’s mayoral race. We’re thrilled to stand alongside this trailblazer as she seeks to make history by becoming the first Latina to serve as mayor of a top-20 U.S. city, and we know she’s the leader Austinites deserve at this critical time for reproductive rights. Israel will fight tirelessly to mitigate risks for abortion-seekers in Austin while advancing justice, equity, and opportunity for every person who calls the city home.” 

Celia Israel was born and raised in Texas, and moved to Austin when she was 17 years old to attend the University of Texas. She says that the city “has forged her into who she is today,” when she was “a young, gay Latina stepping out into the world for the very first time.” Israel graduated and went on to serve in Gov. Ann Richards’ administration, marry her wife Celinda, and become a licensed realtor. A dedicated public servant, she was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2014, where she serves on the Women's Health Caucus and the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, and founded the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus.

 
EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, works to elect Democratic pro-choice women up and down the ballot and across the country with a goal of fighting for our rights and our communities. Our work is centered around a fundamental vision: Run. Win. Change the World. EMILYs List has raised over $700 million in service to that vision and has helped Democratic women win competitive elections by recruiting and training candidates, supporting and helping build strong campaigns, researching the issues that impact women and families, running one of the largest independent expenditure campaigns for Democrats, and turning out women voters to the polls. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect the country's first woman as vice president, 159 women to the House, 26 to the Senate, 16 governors, and nearly 1,400 women to state and local office. More than 40% of the candidates EMILYs List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. Visit www.emilyslist.org for more information.