Kimberly Mata-Rubio, the mother of Alexandria “Lexi” Rubio, who died in the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, last year, made a crucial declaration on Thursday. She announced her intention to run for mayor in a special election.

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Mata -Rubio in a statement said, “I want to represent the underserved in this community, whose voices matter but have long been unheard. I want residents to see themselves in me and feel at ease sharing their grievances.”

Who is Kimberly Mata-Rubio?

Kimberly Mata-Rubio is 34 years old. She is the mother of  “Lexi” Rubio, who was killed on May 24, 2022, at Robb Elementary School when a gunman entered their classrooms.

In the forthcoming special election slated for November 7, 34-year-old mother Kimberly Mata-Rubio is running for the soon-to-be-vacant seat held by Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin. McLaughlin, who has served as the town’s mayor since 2014 but is now at the end of his term limit, is running to replace Rep. Tracy King, a Democrat from Uvalde, in the Texas House.

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Mata-Rubio openly declared her candidacy for mayor on Thursday and posted the information online. She addressed her late daughter, Alexandria “Lexi” Rubio, in her letter, outlining her motivations for doing this and how she hopes to positively influence the neighborhood. She probably decided to run for office because of the tragic death of her daughter and because she wants to serve as mayor of Uvalde, where she hopes to make a positive difference.

Lexi, aged 10,  was one of the 21 innocent victims who died in the Robb Elementary School massacre on May 24, 2022. 

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Kimberly Mata-Rubio has relentlessly fought for stricter gun control laws ever since that tragic day. She has been a frequent visitor to both Texas and the U.S. Capitols, advocating for legislative action to combat gun violence in her quest to spare other parents the unimaginable suffering she faced.