Former mayor Cody Smith won the first mayoral race since the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, South Texas. His competition was Kimberly Mata-Rubio, a mother who called for stricter gun laws after losing her daughter in the shocking 2022 shooting as reported by Dallas News. This election served as a temperature check for the sentiments of the Uvalde community with regards to gun laws and the importance of political experience.
Mata-Rubio's campaign was based on unity and transparency, thinking to bridge the divide in a town coping from one of America's deadliest mass shootings. Despite her fervor for tighter gun laws, voters re-elected Smith who, in his previous term, failed to address police response inadequacies to the attack as detailed by Politico.
A former two-term mayor, Smith held office over ten years ago and is now a local bank executive. As per his Facebook campaign, he wishes to unite the community with efforts to engage with the victims' families, school officials, and city leaders to commemorate the 21 lives lost to the tragic event as per San Antonio Express-News.
In her journey, Mata-Rubio showed support in Congress for new gun restrictions and voiced criticism against the slow police response in the school shooting. She co-founded a non-profit, "Lives Robbed," which advocates for stricter gun control as stated by Politico. The criminal investigation into the tardy police arrival at Robb Elementary continues.
Previously a Uvalde News-Leader reporter, Mata-Rubio showcased her daughter's favorite, a vibrant shade of yellow, in her campaign signs. She pledged perseverance on X, formerly Twitter: "I'll never stop fighting for you, Lexi. I meant it when I said this was only the beginning. After all, I'm not a regular mom. I'm Lexi's mom."
I’ll never stop fighting for you, Lexi. I meant it when I said this was only the beginning. After all, I’m not a regular mom. I’m Lexi’s mom💛 pic.twitter.com/Job11Oxgl7
— Kimberly Mata-Rubio (@kimrubio21) November 8, 2023
The outgoing Mayor, Don McLaughlin, accused state police of a coverup, blaming them for the delayed action. With McLaughlin running for a seat in the Texas Legislature, Smith will replace him. The former Robb Elementary School is now permanently closed, and last month the city of Uvalde began construction on a new school as Dallas News disclosed.
