The Daily Texan sat down with Kathie Tovo and Montserrat Garibay, two Democrats vying to represent UT in the Texas House, to discuss the upcoming May 26 runoff election. The interviews have been edited for length and clarity. 

DT: If (readers) could walk away with only one message about your campaign, what would it be?

Garibay: I will be a fighter for them. I’ve had 25 years of experience in doing that work, and my record speaks for itself. As an undocumented child, as a bilingual educator, as a bilingual organizer and working at the Department of Education, I am the only candidate that has experience at the city, the state and the national level. 

Tovo: I would go back to my tagline: tested, tough and trusted. We are at a pivotal moment in this state, and we are watching our rights be eliminated and our neighbors attacked. … I am running because I want to get in there and stop the passage of more terrible legislation and work to get good policies passed. 

DT: The runoff is on May 26, after most students have returned home. Will making the runoff change your campaign strategy?

Garibay: Understanding that a lot of students are not going to be here, we have to think in a bigger way, in a strategic way, and so that’s exactly what we’re doing. … We’re looking at how to make sure that students mail in their ballots, what that entails and how we can make sure that that happens. 

Tovo: We feel really optimistic for May, and we’re going to do a lot of what we did the first time through: being out there in the neighborhoods, talking to voters (and) hearing what their thoughts, concerns, ideas and wishes are for their next legislator for District 49. 

DT: How will you work across the aisle to pass legislation, specifically higher education legislation? 

Garibay: One of the first things that I want to do is to make sure that we are collecting these stories on how much money our communities are going to lose, (and) how much money our University is going to lose. … We need to get politics out of the University. … Freedom of speech is one of the most important things that you can learn at university. 

Tovo: There are opportunities to have conversations about how the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion programs on campus, … from an economic perspective, is a problem. … We may disagree with Republicans about the absolute importance of those programs, which I’m deeply committed to, but they might be compelled by some of the economic arguments about how this is going to negatively influence students’ preparation for the workforce. 

DT: How will you continue to engage with UT students after the election? 

Garibay: Our campaign (has been) having listening sessions and town hall meetings. … It’s something that I’m planning to keep doing … not only with students, but also professors and the community that cleans our schools. 

Tovo: It’s a great opportunity to have (student) groups come to be part of committee meetings. … One of the things I envision as I set up my staff is having a staff member who is always looking for those groups that are natural allies or that are going to be particularly engaged on those issues, and regularly attending different meetings on campus that involve students.