Katy Padilla Stout is a lifelong Texan, former public school teacher, child welfare attorney, and working-class advocate running to represent Texas’ 23rd Congressional District. Raised by a single mother, Katy understands firsthand the challenges families face and the importance of opportunity, stability, and strong community support.
Her family’s roots in South Texas reflect the story of many in TX-23—her father and grandparents were migrant farm workers from Dimmit County, and her great-grandfather worked as a custodian at the Bexar County Courthouse. These experiences shaped her belief that hard work should lead to opportunity and that government should work for families, not against them.
After graduating from Lee High School in San Antonio, Katy earned her degree in education from the University of Texas at Austin and returned home to teach elementary school in Northside ISD. In the classroom, she saw the real challenges facing students and families—underfunded schools, rising costs, and limited resources.
She later earned her law degree from South Texas College of Law and built a respected legal practice focused on child welfare and education law, working alongside her father in Carrizo Springs to represent children and families in crisis. Since 2017, she has served on the Bexar County Child Welfare Board, strengthening systems that protect vulnerable children, and serves on the board of a nonprofit supporting children impacted by trauma.
As a mother of four, two adopted through foster care, Katy brings both personal and professional experience to the issues facing families across TX-23. She is running for Congress to bring service-driven leadership to Washington and to ensure that families in West and South Texas have a voice that understands their lives and priorities.
In a district where trust, turnout, and connection matter, Padilla Stout offers a grounded, community-rooted alternative to an extreme and weakened Republican opponent—positioning this seat as a real opportunity.
Key Issue Stances & Priorities
Lowering Costs for Families — Padilla Stout is focused on kitchen-table issues, like bringing down the cost of healthcare, groceries, and everyday essentials for families across TX-23.
Healthcare Access in Rural & Border Communities — She supports expanding access to affordable healthcare in underserved areas where families often struggle to find care close to home.
Strong Public Schools & Opportunity — As a former teacher, she is committed to supporting public education, strengthening schools, and ensuring every child has a path to success.
Supporting Children & Families in Crisis — Drawing on her legal work and child welfare leadership, she is focused on strengthening systems that protect vulnerable children and help families stay together.
Respect for Border Communities — Padilla Stout believes policies affecting border communities should be grounded in the realities of the people who live there, not political rhetoric.
Why Katy Padilla Stout
- Authentic working-class and South Texas background
- Former teacher and child welfare attorney with strong community credibility
- Compelling personal story aligned with district demographics
- Early momentum (field consolidation, EMILY’s List support, fundraising growth)
- Strong persuasion + turnout fit in a Latino-elastic district
- Clear contrast vs. an extremist GOP nominee in a Lean R but winnable seat
I've spent my life fighting for children and families.
Now I'm ready to fight for you in Washington.