On Sunday, the executive committee of the Travis County Democratic Party selected Pooja Sethi to serve out the unexpired term of Katie Naranjo as party chair. Naranjo announced Sethi’s election in an email to party supporters, writing that “Pooja brings years of organizing and policy experience as the Chief of Staff for Texas Rep. Vikki Goodwin. Her passion, legal background, and fundraising experience will bring a new and energetic chapter for our party. I hope you join me in welcoming and supporting Pooja’s historic leadership as our first” Asian American Pacific Islander party chair. Naranjo said it’s the right time to leave the role given incoming leadership and her second child due this spring. Sethi, an attorney, ran for the City Council District 10 seat in 2020, coming in third behind Council Member Alison Alter and Jennifer Virden. Sethi endorsed Alter in the runoff, and Alter went on to defeat Virden.
Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor. More by Jo Clifton