State Rep. Celia Israel lost her bid to become Austin’s next mayor. (David Taffet/Dallas Voice)
Celia Israel, one of the founders of the Texas Legislature’s LGBT Caucus, has lost her bid to become Austin’s next mayor. Kirk Watson beat Israel by 886 votes. In Travis County, Israel actually had a 17-vote advantage, but Watson pulled ahead in the parts of the city that lay in Hays and Williamson counties.
In a statement she posted on Twitter, Israel said, “I talked to Kirk Watson last night to congratulate him; we talked about the urgent issues before Austin and I know he wants to move on those issues.
“I have had so much love and support on this journey; our ideas, stories and voices created a movement. This was a people-driven campaign, and I am so proud. We have broken the mold of how we do politics in Austin. We challenged the most powerful forces. It was evident at our watch party last night; thank you, everyone, for the support.
“I don’t know what my future holds but I’m always glass half full. Let’s keep fighting for a better Austin. Gracias. – Celia”
— David Taffet
