Beto O’Rourke’s defeat leaves families of Uvalde shooting victims devastated | Media Pyro

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UVALDE — Veronica and Jerry Mata, one of the 19 students killed in the deadliest school shooting in Texas history, and their daughter Tess arrived at a busy local bar and grill Tuesday evening for an Election Day watch party.

They were there to support Javier Cazares, a fellow parent of a Robb Elementary shooting victim and candidate for county commissioner. But their minds were on the governor’s race.

They hoped to defeat Gov. Greg Abbott, the Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke of El Paso, who supports raising the minimum age to buy an AR-15-style rifle like the one used to kill their child. In their view, Abbott ignored their pleas to change Texas gun laws to prevent another mass shooting.

Many of the victims’ families joined them at a table in the bar, eating chicken wings, chips and salsa and ordering Michealob Ultras. About an hour after the polls closed, Angel Garza, the stepson of one of the victims, 10-year-old Ameri Joe Garza, read a news alert from his cellphone: “Breaking news: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wins third term, defeating Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke.

Mother Veronica did not believe it. She said it was time to call the race. But as the night wore on and other news outlets predicted the same results, the families’ euphoric mood turned to despair.

“Unfortunately, even with 21 people dead, people’s minds don’t change,” said Jasmine Cazares, 17, whose 9-year-old sister Jacqueline was killed at Robb Elementary. She had joined her parents to watch the election results — her father lost his write-in bid for commissioner — and was doing her math homework on a tablet.

“Everyone has the right to vote for whoever they want, and we hoped they would see where we’re coming from and see what we want to change,” said Veronika Mata, a kindergarten teacher.

After an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 students and two teachers with an assault-style rifle he bought shortly before, some of the victims’ families became politically active, urging Abbott and other elected officials to raise the minimum age. Buy such weapons from 18 to 21. She urged Texas Republican US Senator Ted Cruz to support changing gun laws. They traveled to Austin and Washington, D.C., and held demonstrations in their hometowns and in front of the state Capitol to meet with other lawmakers to solicit support.

For Matas, Casares and others, this first major election since the shooting was unlike any other. It was personal. They threw their support behind O’Rourke, who lost three elections in four years, hoping to be the catalyst for changing gun laws in the state.

O’Rourke failed miserably on Tuesday. And Uvalde County voted decisively for Abbott.

It’s unclear whether any of the families of the shooting victims supported Abbott’s election. But the results shocked Amery Jo’s grandmother, Berlinda Arreola.

Hundreds of officials waited more than an hour to address issues — such as days after a February 2021 winter storm that knocked out the state’s power grid, conservative support for decriminalizing abortion in Texas, and law enforcement’s response to the Robb Elementary shooting. Kill the gunman when students called 911 for help – and would tip the election in O’Rourke’s favor.

“There’s nothing I can do that will make a difference,” Arreola said. “People are only going to change their minds when it happens to them.”

Democratic candidate John Lira, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzalez for a congressional seat that stretches from San Antonio to El Paso, joined family members at the watch party and said that while Abbott’s victory was “shattering,” the families were proud. Getting involved politically after experiencing a tragedy.

“This means the fight continues,” said Lira, who also lost on Tuesday. “What happened to this community, these families, they fought their ass off for change and a new vision, for someone who would listen to them and respond to them.”

Families ordered more drinks as the night wore on. Many said their fight for change in Texas is far from over.

Jerry Mata’s phone rang. It was the couple’s eldest daughter, Faith, who was crying, distraught over the election results. Her parents and other parents consoled her on video calls.

“Baby, we’re going to regroup and keep fighting,” Jerry Mata told his daughter. “Five years from now, the media may be gone, everyone may be gone, but we won’t be. We will continue to fight and get what our children deserve. “

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