Uvalde families make last pleas for change before midterm elections

With Election Day nearing, the families of those killed at Robb Elementary School in May in Uvalde are making one last push to convince their community — and people outside of it — that their vote could help prevent the next mass shooting.

They face an uphill battle in the gubernatorial race; Republican Gov. Greg Abbott continues to lead Democratic candidate Beto O’Rourke in the polls, and many families have called on Abbott to restrict access to guns.

Still, Velma Lisa Duran feels a shakeup in this election can be possible.

”Our kids are in (sic) the ballot,” Duran told The Texas Newsroom last week. “I think of my boys that have to go to work, I think of myself as a teacher having to go.”

This election is personal for Duran. Her sister, Irma Garcia, was a teacher at Robb Elementary and one of 21 killed by an 18-year-old gunman.

The tragedy galvanized Duran to become more involved in politics.

“It does bother me that I was never that vocal and following whoever’s running and things like that,” Duran said. “But I feel like there’s a reason for everything, and there has to be change.”

Now, she’s vocal about her support for O’Rourke.

Duran is not the only victims’ family member to get involved in the midterms.

» MORE: Here’s everything you need to know about voting in Tuesday’s election

A group of parents of some of the children killed at Robb Elementary School last May await the start of a rally with O’Rourke in downtown Uvalde.

Since the shooting, a growing number of loved ones have registered to vote, and their sense of urgency is increasing. Their activism has brought them to Washington, D.C., and across Texas.

Last week, a group of family members traveled to Austin to hold a march in honor of the dead.

Jazmin Cazares, sister of 9-year-old victim Jacklyn, told the crowd they could have an impact on this election.

“I’m not old enough to vote, but most of you can, and I encourage you to do so, and vote responsibly,” Cazares said. “You can honor the 21 angels and others who have been taken from us too soon by gun violence.”

Her dad, Javier, is running for a county commission seat, challenging Mariano Pargas, who was the acting chief of police in Uvalde the day of the shooting.

Cazares and other family members of victims have called on Abbott — and the Legislature — to increase the minimum age to purchase a semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21. The Uvalde shooter bought his two weapons legally shortly after his 18th birthday.

Ronnie Garza, who currently serves on the Uvalde County Commission, praised the activism of the families.

“At the beginning I think some parents were kind of reluctant to make this a political issue,” Garza said. “But then they learned — they found out that laws have to be changed if we want to make our community safer.”

Felicha Martinez, the mother of school shooting victim Xavier Lopez, told O’Rourke she was voting for him and that she was “not fighting just for Xavier, I’m fighting for your future grandchild, I’m fighting for your child.” O’Rourke visited an ofrenda for Xavier at Hillcrest Cemetery in Uvalde.