Chito Vela announces campaign kickoff for District 4 seat

District 4 City Council Member Chito Vela plans to kick off his reelection campaign at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Knomad Bar, 1213 Corona Drive. Vela, who won a special election to replace Greg Casar when Casar was elected to Congress, was reelected in January 2022 with more than 59 percent of the vote. Vela prevailed against opponents Monica Guzmán, who came in a distant second, and Jade Lovera, who came in third. Both Guzmán and Lovera have designated campaign treasurers again this year to run against Vela. Vela has worked with other Council members to change Austin’s zoning and housing policies. Some community members, such as his opponents in this race, do not agree with those policies, while others applaud them. In January, he reported raising more than $63,000. The next report is not due until July 15, but every candidate is hoping for more funds to show they have momentum at that point. Vela is an attorney who specializes in criminal and immigration law. He served on the Planning Commission before his election to Council.