WASHINGTON – Today, Latino Victory Fund announced its endorsements for a new slate of Texas candidates including Kim Mata-Rubio for Uvalde Mayor, Gilbert Garcia for Houston Mayor, and Holly Flynn Vilaseca for Houston City Council.
Latino Victory Fund Executive Director Sindy Benavides released the following statement:
“Latino Victory Fund is proud to endorse these seasoned community leaders as they run dynamic and inspiring bids for office in Texas. Kimberly Mata-Rubio, Gilbert Garcia, and Holly Flynn Vilaseca have proven their leadership and commitment to democratic values throughout their respective careers and are well-prepared to serve as leaders of their communities. Our nation’s political leaders should reflect the communities they serve– and Latino political representation in Texas is crucial now that it is the nation’s newest majority Latino state. Latino Victory Fund is proud to support the newest group of candidates in Texas as they campaign to become dedicated leaders for their constituents and ensure that Latino voices are heard.”
More About the Candidates
Kimberly Mata-Rubio for Uvalde Mayor
- Kimberly Mata-Rubio is a lifelong Uvalde resident who was inspired to run for office after her daughter was among the victims of the devastating Robb Elementary School shooting last year.
- Kimberly graduated from St. Mary’s University in December of 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in public history and is an award-winning journalist. She also served on the Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors.
- If elected, Kimberly Mata-Rubio will become the first woman and third Hispanic mayor of Uvalde.
You can learn more about Kimberly Mata-Rubio’s campaign here.
Gilbert Garcia for Houston Mayor
- Gilbert served on the U.S. Department of Treasury Advisory Committee on Racial Equity to identify, monitor, and review aspects of the domestic economy that have resulted in unfavorable conditions for Black, Latino, Asian Americans, and other persons of color.
- He also served on two other Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) Committees with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Fixed Income Market Structure Advisory Board and the Asset Management Advisory Committee, where he led the Diversity and Inclusion subcommittee.
- Gilbert is the longest-serving board member of SEO, a non-profit providing summer internships on Wall Street for minority undergraduates.
You can learn more about Gilbert Garcia’s campaign here.
Holly Flynn Vilaseca for Houston City Council At-Large, Seat #2
- Holly is the daughter of immigrants from Colombia and is the first in her family to go to college, earning bachelor’s degrees in Latin American & Caribbean studies and sports management and communications from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in social-organizational psychology from Columbia University.
- She served on the Houston Independent School District (HISD) school board for five years where she demonstrated her dedication to education and commitment to families in her community.
- Holly served on the City of Houston Mayor’s Hispanic Advisory Board for Annise Parker and Sylvester Turner. She has also served on the board of the Mexican-American School Board Association.
You can learn more about Holly Flynn Vilaseca’s campaign here.
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The Latino Victory Fund is a progressive political action committee with the mission of growing Latino political power by increasing Latino representation at every level of government – from the school board to the Senate to the White House.
