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Today, the LBJ Women's Campaign School announced the 65 leaders who will form its fourth incoming class. The LBJ Women's Campaign School is a nonpartisan, issue-neutral program that trains women, and those traditionally excluded from public life, who want to run for elected office or become campaign managers, regardless of political party. The program brings together top political experts from across the nation to lead an immersive training program on topics including media relations, public speaking, fundraising, grassroots organizing and more. The program kicks off in Austin May 11—13, with monthly virtual classes through November. Through the seven-month program, these women will gain an insider network, professional mentorship and the skills they need to win.

Today, the LBJ Women's Campaign School announced the 65 women who will form its third incoming class. The LBJ Women's Campaign School is a nonpartisan, issue-neutral program that trains women who want to run for elected office or become campaign managers, regardless of political party. The program brings together top political experts from across the nation to lead an immersive training program on topics including media relations, public speaking, fundraising, grassroots organizing and more. The program kicks off in Austin on April 29-30, with monthly virtual through November. Through the eight-month program, these women will gain an insider network, professional mentorship, and the skills they need to win.

In 2020, after two years of organizing, Amy Kroll, founder and executive director of the LBJ Women's Campaign School, welcomed the inaugural class to an eight-month program designed to give women the tools and training needed to campaign for public office. With eight graduates currently running in the Texas 2022 primaries, the program’s success in its first two years earned the support of valuable partners, including the Texas Woman’s University’s Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy. For the second year in a row, 50 accepted participants in the Campaign School’s third cohort will attend the program for free, thanks to an $87,500 grant from Texas Woman’s University.

Eight alumni from the LBJ Women's Campaign School are running for different city and state government positions across the country in the March primary elections.

It just became easier for women living in Texas to prepare to run for elected office. Any Texas woman who enrolls in the next cohort of the LBJ Women's Campaign School, a training program at the University of Texas at Austin for potential candidates and campaign managers, will now be able to attend for free.

In March, Joy Diaz and her 10-year-old son Fausto became ill with COVID-19, each suffering through it in their own rooms in their home in southwest Austin. Joy, a journalist who was 44 and not yet eligible for the vaccine, thought she might die. "And so faced with my own mortality, I decided that if I lived I was going to try to fix the state and that is done in the governor's office," Diaz told a campaign town hall over Zoom on Sunday night. Asked in the session why she didn’t aim lower and run for city council or a lesser state office, Diaz said, "I don't know how much time I have left on this earth, and in that time, I want to make a difference."

Elections coming up later this year in Texas will include some first-time candidates who all share one thing in common. Each of these women launched her campaign — seeking everything from the governorship to a seat on Austin City Council — after attending the same, relatively new program.

"One of the things that I’m most passionate about is helping more women become elected officials," writes Terri Broussard Williams, a member of the LBJ Women's Campaign School's advisory board. "That passion is why I'm on the Advisory Board of the LBJ Women's Campaign School at the University of Texas at Austin. And it's why I want to share with you the story of Amy Kroll, the founder and executive director of the Campaign School. 

Erin Shank has been a bankruptcy attorney in Waco for 40 years, but she has long had a desire to run for public office. Now she is taking the plunge as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for House District 56.

Incumbents Carolyn King Arnold and Adam Bazaldua won reelection bids but Paul Ridley will replace David Blewett. Jesse Moreno, Jaynie Schultz and Gay Donnell Willis won the three open seats. In the race to represent North Dallas in District 11, Jaynie Schultz beat attorney Barry Wernick with nearly 54% of the votes.