State Rep. Celia Israel
Celia Israel (D-Austin), one of the founders of the Texas House LGBT Caucus, announced today (Sept. 22) that she will not seek re-election to the Legislature. She was first elected in 2014 and was the second out lesbian elected to the House after state Rep. Mary Gonzalez (D-El Paso).
Israel said she may run for mayor of Austin next year. Incumbent Mayor Steve Adler is term limited and cannot run for re-election.
“Today, I am announcing the formation of an exploratory committee for mayor of Austin,” Israel wrote on Twitter. “This exploratory effort means I will not be seeking re-election to my seat in the Texas House.
“The heartbeat of a city is people from all walks of life working together and learning from each other. That’s why I’m proud that the founding core of my exploratory committee is diverse, with a broad array of lived experiences.”
The Legislature is in its third special session. Defending young LGBTQ Texans has been an important part of Israel’s legislative agenda. She has sponsored legislation each session to ban reparative therapy. Instead, she and the caucus have spent their time fighting off bills that will penalize trans youth and prevent them from participating in school sports.
— David Taffet
