Paper No. 19: Verónica Carbajal And The Politics Of Activism (October 20, 2023) Position Paper

In 2020, political underdog and activist, Verónica Carbajal came close to showing that a grassroots-driven political campaign can overcome long odds to win a marquee election. Carbajal almost unseated a former mayor coming in a close third in a tight race for El Paso’s next mayor. Carbajal went on to endorse the eventual winner, Oscar Leeser. Carbajal, it seemed, could compete in El Paso’s politics. However, two missteps in 2022 and 2023 made her an unviable for future elections. In this paper we examine Carbajal’s controversial vote for $400 million in non-voter approved certificates of obligations and her support for a controversial climate charter hurt her political future.