Texas Runoffs: Three Phenomenal Women Up For Office
November may be over, but there are still a number of run-offs happening across the country. So far, our candidates have been looking pretty good: On December 4, Frank Scott Jr. made history by becoming the first African American elected to the position of mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas by popular vote. A pastor and civil rights advocate, Frank crushed the competition on a platform that emphasized racial unity (harkening back to Little Rock’s storied past.)
Even better news: on Friday, December 7 Emily Randall became the newest member of the Washington State Senate in District 26. After a contentious recount battle with her GOP opponent, Emily won by just 102 votes! (Use that the next time someone tells you your vote doesn’t count.)
But, we’re not done yet. Today we have three run-offs happening in Texas. Our three young progressives — Jocabed Marquez, Paige Ellis, and Stephanie Gharakhanian — have worked tirelessly to bring progressive values to the Lone Star State. And as the partisan divide grows Ellis, Marquez, and Gharakhanian have committed themselves to enacting policies that help families and communities across both sides of the aisle.
Get to know more about these phenomenal women below!
Jocabed Marquez
San Marcos City Council, Place 5
www.jocaforcitycouncil.com
Jocabed G. Marquez, PhD is running for San Marcos City Council, Place 5, in the state of Texas. Dr. Marquez has been actively involved with the Hispanic Policy Network on campus, Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos, Mano Amiga, and Calaboose African American History Museum. In the Rio Grande Valley — where she grew up, did graduate research & taught high-school science — she participated with Catholic Charities and the Equal Voice Network. Her platform includes: river & environmental stewardship; criminal justice reform; opposing welfare for developers; prioritizing election integrity; pursuing No Kill status at the Animal Shelter; fair racial representation on Council, including exploration of single-member districts; and exploring potential partnerships that nurture and sustain positive change.
Jocabed in her own words: “For decades, the ethnic and socioeconomic composition of our City Council has in no way mirrored the actual composition of San Marcos. I have full faith I am every bit as competent and committed as anyone else in this race. There are numerous reasons why women and people of color have been disproportionately excluded from our municipal decision-making process-and I say “Ya basta?: It is important for me to step up to serve as a voice for traditionally marginalized community members. Representation from every sector in my community is top priority for me. I also have an eight year-old daughter who motivates me to rise up and be a change agent. As a pastor’s daughter, I have always felt the need to embrace the key tenets of my faith: truth, justice, compassion, and service to my community.”
Paige Ellis
Austin City Council District 8
www.paigeforaustin.org
Paige Ellis is running to bring environmental responsibility experience to the dais. She is a marketing and public involvement specialist for an environmental firm that ensures compliance for transportation and housing projects. She seeks to lend her expertise to find housing and traffic solutions in one of the fastest growing areas in Texas. This district is home to Barton Springs, Town Lake, and Zilker Park which hosts the Austin City Limits music festival. Paige is a proud supporter of Planned Parenthood, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the Barton Springs Conservancy, and has volunteered with Keep Austin Beautiful and the Texas Book Festival.
Paige in her own words: “My district needs a representative who knows how to navigate fixing the transportation and housing issues that Austin is faced with an environmentally responsible approach. I’ve been angered by Republican influence on our policies at the federal, state, and local levels, and I have been inspired by the Democratic women who have decided to run for office. I am running for city council to be a voice for fixing our transportation & housing issues while protecting women’s rights, access to healthcare, public education funding, LGBTQ equality, protection of immigrants and their families, and to demand gun safety.”
Stephanie Gharakhanian
Austin Community College Trustee, Place 8
www.stephanieforacc.com
Stephanie is running for Austin Community College District Board of Trustees, because she believes that all people should have the opportunity to have a good job and earn a decent living. She is first-generation American, an attorney, and a community organizer. For the last five years, Stephanie has worked with the community organization Workers Defense Project, representing low-wage workers who have not been paid their wages and leading campaigns to win stronger protections for workers, immigrants and their families. She is running to ensure that Austin Community College affordable and accessible for all people in Central Texas.
Stephanie in her own words: “For as long as I’ve lived in this community, I have been imbedded in the burgeoning progressive movement in this state that is confronting the challenges of affordability, economic inequality, and institutional racism head-on. Through this work, I have learned that too few of those who currently hold elected office share the vision, values, and priorities of our movement. As our movement has grown stronger, we simply do not have enough progressive leaders in office who are aligned with us. I am running in this community because this community need more leaders from within our movement to run for office.
