In a move that shakes up the Austin mayoral race, local activist Carmen Llanes Pulido has thrown her hat in the ring. The 39-year-old executive director of Go Austin/Vamos Austin (GAVA), and veteran of city organizations such as the Planning Commission and the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, announced her candidacy with an eye on bringing substantial change to the city's governance. Llanes Pulido is challenging incumbent Mayor Kirk Watson on the grounds of his administration's alleged "inadequate planning, deals that favor investors, wasteful spending" and a myopic vision ill-suited for a burgeoning Austin, according to the Austin Monitor.
Llanes Pulido, who also served on former Council Member Kathie Tovo's Planning Commission, criticized urbanist plans that she believed were not in the best interest of the community. Despite her long-time involvement in city affairs and disapproval of certain policies, she was prohibited from running for office until mid-2023 due to her role on the redistricting commission. However, Llanes Pulido said hat ther aspirations to serve in a public office had been long-standing. She is the progeny of East Austin activist Daniel Llanes and recalls her introduction to civil proceedings as formative: "My dad brought me into City Hall when I was a baby and he brought me to community meetings as a child," as per Austin Monitor.
Addressing her campaign goals, Llanes Pulido emphasizes a mission to "equitably climate-proof our city" while simultaneously working to prevent the displacement of residents and revitalize the local economy and housing sector. Her criticism extends beyond the current mayor, as she has also taken issue with interim City Manager Jesús Garza's organizational decisions, specifically his move to merge the Equity Office with the Small and Minority Business Resources Department, as reported by the Austin Monitor.
