Dr. Eliza Alvarado announces election bid for Texas’ 15th Congressional District

South Texas native Dr. Eliza Alvarado (Ph.D.) has filed to run for Congress in Texas’ 15th Congressional District.

According to her official announcement, Alvarado grew her experience in public policy when she worked in Washington, D.C. for the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Department of Labor before returning home to the RGV.

Once home, she says she made it a priority to increase voter registration and turnout in the region by helping to establish the non-partisan organization, Advocacy Alliance Center of Texas.

Currently, Alvarado serves as the Director of Partnerships and Career Pathways at Region One Education Service Center, the largest ESC in the state overseeing eight diverse counties with approximately half a million students.

“My story is like many others,” she said, “except in many ways it’s not. I went off to college and was given the opportunity to work for Congressman Rubén Hinojosa who also represented the 15th Congressional District in Washington, D.C. It is there where I learned how Congress works and how good legislation can positively impact the lives of everyday people.”

Hinojosa encouraged Alvarado to continue her education, she said, so she took his advice and earned a master’s degree in Political Management from George Washington University.

“I then moved on to work at the U.S. Department of Labor in the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. Nothing was ever handed to me; less than 1 percent of Latinas earn their doctorate, and I did it not only for me, but for the community I was going to serve.”

Alvarado said that when she went to D.C. 20 years ago, her goal was to learn as much as possible so she could eventually come home and serve the Rio Grande Valley.

“Education was my great equalizer,” she said. “I was fortunate to have the support of my parents, family, and mentors who encouraged and helped me earn my various degrees. It is unfortunate though that many young people in the state of Texas do not have the support they deserve to grow and reach their ultimate potential. Our economy is dependent on a vibrant workforce that begins with a great education or trade skills.

“Right now, we are facing workforce shortages, a lack of childcare, a healthcare crisis, a broken immigration system, and threats to our fundamental rights, like voting.”

In her position at Region One, Alvarado said she has developed job-training programs and obtained funding to help alleviate the region’s shortage of healthcare workers, particularly nurses.

“The key to solving these issues begins in Washington. The people of Texas have taught me so much, but now I am asking for the opportunity to take their voices, their solutions, and their concerns back to Washington. I have worked hard to make my community better, but I passionately believe that in Congress, I can be an even stronger advocate.

Alvarado said she would be honored if the people of the 15th Congressional District would give her the opportunity to represent them.

“No one will work harder to make our region and our country stronger and more prosperous,” she said.

Alvarado first earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Government from Texas Woman’s University and her Ph.D. in Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas.