Mayoral candidate Kathie Tovo hosts kickoff party tonight

Former City Council Member Kathie Tovo, who served on Council from 2012 to 2023, will be hosting a mayoral campaign kickoff at 6:30 p.m. at El Mercado Restaurant on South First Street. Tovo, who served as mayor pro tem for four years, stresses her “proven record of standing up for women, workers, immigrants, and the LGBTQIA+ community.” Her campaign announced the party stating, “Tovo will celebrate her strong start in the race, share plans to deliver transparency and accountability at City Hall and outline ways to get involved in the campaign.” Other applicants for the middle seat on the dais include incumbent Mayor Kirk Watson, Go Austin/Vamos Austin Executive Director Carmen Llanes Pulido and Doug Greco, former executive director of Central Texas Interfaith.