UVALDE, Texas — Kimberly Mata-Rubio, whose 10-year-old daughter Alexandria "Lexi" Rubio was among the 19 children killed in a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022, on Thursday announced she’s running for mayor of Uvalde.

Mata-Rubio, 34, is entering the special election race to replace Don McLaughlin, who is seeking a seat in the Texas House. The special election is set for Nov. 7.

Mata-Rubio is a reporter for Uvalde Leader-News. In May of this year, she spoke at length with Spectrum News National Mental Health Correspondent Dr. Nicole Cross about coping with grief.

RELATED: Using activism to cope with traumatic grief: A Uvalde parent's story

“I’m a quiet person. I rarely speak up for myself, but when I became a mother, a power was instilled in me that remained dormant until June 8, 2022, when I addressed Congress to demand a federal ban on assault weapons,” Mata-Rubio said.

Mata-Rubio said she will never forget the moment when she first heard radio traffic coming across the police scanner at her job, talking about an active shooter at Robb Elementary School.

"I eventually left to Robb," Rubio said.

She ran a mile to the school and eventually to the Uvalde Civic Center where Rubio learned Lexi was among the 19 children and two teachers gunned down inside Robb Elementary.

“I don't think I let myself grieve or really process immediately, I just hit the ground running," Rubio said. 

Spectrum News National Mental Health Correspondent Dr. Nicole Cross contributed to this report.