} complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. Data Explanation Editorial Lobbying Money Myths . Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Former Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins, former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards and businessman Lee Kaplan are also running for Houston mayor. } Source, tusa-race-stage-summary, tusa-person-summary, tusa-filing-dates { I love Houston, as so many of you do. box-sizing: border-box; FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan spoke with John Whitmire, Dean of the Texas Senate.
background-color: #003388; Texas Senator John Whitmire announced he will be running for mayor in 2023, kicking off his campaign Wednesday. Contact Information. As the longest-serving member of the states upper chamber, Whitmire is known as Dean of the Senate. He touts a campaign war chest of $9.7 million, but not all of those funds are available for his mayoral campaign due to the city-imposed contribution limits. Her former column, All In Perspective ran in The Georgetown Advocate, Jarrell Star Ledger, and The Hill Country News, and she has contributed to a variety of Texas digital media outlets. They were later pardoned by the Governor. display: block; background-color: #ccc; } All Rights Reserved. font-weight: 300; padding:7px 8px 8px; --view-more-background: #f0a236; } As a former state representative, Turner was permitted to transfer the first $5,000 per donation in his state account to his mayoral campaign, but the total impact for Whitmire has yet to be determined. $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { He ultimately returned to the legislature, creating a quorum and undoing the efforts of the rest of the Texas Eleven. .clearfix { [14] The district attorney eventually cleared him of wrongdoing. .widget-row.value-only.black { When I passed this law, I never thought this would happen. Watch Sen. Whitmire's full campaign announcement in the video player below: KHOU 11 on social media:Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube. Contact our sales team. }, 100); event.srcElement.innerText = '[hide]'; overflow-x: auto; clear: both; letter-spacing: 0.03em; Lucio Vasquez produces stories for Houston Public Media's daily radio newscast and writes stories for HoustonPublicMedia.org. John Whitmire announced today that former Houston Mayor Lee P. Brown has endorsed him in his campaign for mayor of the City of Houston. What will be their political backgrounds? In 2015, the Texas State Legislature was in its 84th legislative session from January 13 through June 1. He has also reported on local politics for both papers. As the dean of the Texas Senate, he would almost certainly lock up most of the big-name political endorsements on offer in Houston and across the state. Updated 10hrs ago. Those who donate at least seven items will receive tickets to the Rockets' Oct. 24 home game against Utah. background-color: #6db24f; His views on criminal justice, and his support from GOP-aligned donors, have attracted some early backlash from Democrats, including Hollins, who noted last month on Twitter that Whitmire had not endorsed Hidalgo in the county judges race. Biography (Leah Foreman/Community Impact), Reporter, City Hall and Heights, River Oaks & Montrose. .leg-hnt-toggle-text { In his early years, he was not seen as a particularly influential legislator, and he was criticized by Texas Monthly magazine for his low impact. He did not graduate, as state law at the time allowed legislators entrance to the bar without a full J.D. **Please note** If you are already signed up for the newsletter, you do not need to sign up again. The sum makes him the overwhelming financial heavyweight in . Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Among them, public safety is a driving issue for the candidate. During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $481,540. event.srcElement.innerText = '[show]'; float: right; .votebox-results-metadata { In the Senate, Whitmire is best known for his work on criminal justice issues, having long served as chair of the Criminal Justice Committee, even under Republican leadership. .cf_bp_logo {width: 35px !important;}. margin: 3px 0; His old friends call him something else: "Boogie," a. The 11th-hour amendment made by Rep. Greg Bonnen currently allows 46 state employees in Texas, including the three . Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update. John Whitmire | Houston TX It is not yet clear how much of the $9.5 million Whitmire can transfer to his mayoral campaign, though he is expected to start the race with a massive financial advantage over the rest of the field. "What I have discovered, it's not just homeless, illegal dumping and crosswalks, but our streets are in horrible conditions," Whitmire said. } Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2012. background-color: #003388; Answer: Pro-choice. John Whitmire, state senator and brother-in-law of former mayor Kathy Whitmire (Party affiliation: Democratic) . .votebox_legend .non_result_row { display: inline-block; Heres what you need to know. } [1] His parents divorced when he was seven years old, and the family moved several times, facing difficult financial circumstances. width: 100%; --highlights-background: #d3d4d5; But during the third special session, Patrick would often call instead on state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, the body's second-longest serving member, and refer to her as the "dean-in-waiting.". Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2010. .expand-all:hover, .collapse-all:hover {cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;} Other notable host committee members include the Harris County Deputies Organization, Houston Professional Firefighters Association, and Houston Police Officers Union, as well as long-time Turner supporter and fundraiser Cindy Clifford. font-weight: bold; He won in the general election on November 8, 2022. Whitmire ( Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Texas State Senate to represent District 15. font-size: 12px; Randy Orr advanced from the Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 6, 2018. Whitmire, a Democrat, has represented Houston in the Legislature since 1973, first as a state representative and then in the Senate beginning in 1983. margin: auto; .votebox_bp_logo { } background-color: #ccf; I didnt want to take over either. .widget-img { .infobox { padding-bottom: 3px; margin-bottom: .75em; .cftable td { Whitmire said his campaign is motivated by his desire to solve a variety of problems that he has personally witnessed in Houston including homelessness, illegal dumping, rising crime and inefficient city services. .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper { In addition to being a senator, Whitmire is also an attorney of counsel at Locke, Liddell and Sapp. } height: 50px; Also on the host committee are several former Republican elected officials, including former state representative Dan Huberty, former city councilmember Greg Travis and two of Whitmires former Senate colleagues: Todd Staples, who also served as agriculture commissioner, and Kevin Eltife. Whitmire said that this was Brewer's attempt to "make a mockery out of the process." } Below the Waterlines: Houston After Hurricane Harvey, Ryan Poppe | Lucio Vasquez / Houston Public Media, Texas proposed budget tackles property taxes, border security, Sergio Martnez-Beltrn, The Texas Newsroom, TxDOT hosts I-45 expansion meeting in Conroe as opposition continues to voice concerns, State Sen. John Whitmire displays bipartisan support while launching bid for Houston mayor, As Texas STAAR test goes fully online, teachers feel defeated, Texas Education Agency projects confidence, Santa Fe High School shooter remains mentally incompetent to stand trial, further dragging on 5-year-old case, Houston weather: Thursday night cold front could bring severe weather to region, Bun B announces part of RodeoHouston Southern Takeover lineup, Law enforcement cracking down on street takeovers ahead of Houston-area racing event, Houston's annual 'March on Crime' campaign focused on gun safety, car burglaries as violent crime decreases through the region, Federal judge rejects qualified immunity for Houston officers who shot Charion Lockett, Harris County Constable officers used excessive force in police K-9 attack, federal lawsuit says. $8,368,554 Total Expenditures. Get highlights, trending news, and behind-the-scenes insights from Houston Public Media delivered to your inbox each week. Incumbent John Whitmire defeated Damian Lacroix and Hank Segelke in the Democratic primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 6, 2018. I can tell you this, if John Whitmire is our mayor, that wouldnt have happened.. font-size: 2em; How to run for office | letter-spacing: .03em; General District Capitol. We're in the process of transitioning services for our Today in Houston newsletter. .leg-hnt-flex-row { .widget-value { John Whitmire will focus on better streets, improved drainage and reliable garbage pickup.. And the real solution is, dont commit a crime and you stay at home and be cool. State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told supporters on Wednesday he plans to run for mayor of Houston in 2023. Jasper Scherer covers Texas politics and government for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Credit- Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune Senator John Whitmire today expressed his gratitude for the endorsement of the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Foundation, AFL-CIO in the Houston mayor's race. --subtitle-background: #334aab; Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. Whitmire said he is expecting resistance from people who do not want to see the changes that he is advocating for, including a more transparent government than how the city is currently operating. background-color: grey; Addressing a bipartisan crowd of more than 600 at Houstons Post Oak Hotel, Whitmire said he had personally witnessed the fallout from homelessness, decaying streets. } position: absolute; Earlier this year, William Paul-Thomas, a senior aide to Turner, In addition to a fundraising advantage, Whitmire although a, appears to be drawing support from both sides of the political aisle. Theres people that like the city is operating because they are profiting real well. John Whitmire speaking at his mayoral announcement. State Sen. John Whitmire speaks during a campaign rally last year in Houston. display: block; State Sen. John Whitmire, the longest-tenured senator at the capitol building in Austin, filed for re-election last week and will be back on the ballot in 2022. } padding-bottom: 8px; Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. The longtime Democrat, sitting on an $11 million campaign war chest, had recently announced his plan to run for mayor of Houston in 2023. Senator John Whitmire today expressed his gratitude for the endorsement of the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Foundation, AFL-CIO in the Houston mayor's race. } There are people who like the status quo. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. But after he thought about all the issues that needed repairing in the city, he said he knew he would be the right person for the job. } [6], Whitmire raised $1,072,000 while DeLaRosa raised $12,808.[7]. With an $11 million warchest and thousands of. width: 35px !important; margin-top: 0px; }); What's on my ballot? He has spent his adult life working for Houstonians in our states Capitol and now John is running for Houston Mayor. 92 talking about this. Whitmire was assigned to the following committees: .subcommittee { font-weight: bold; He has built up his war chest over a decades-long career in the Legislature dating back to 1972, when he was elected to the state House while a senior at the University of Houston.
This is going to be one very expensive mayoral campaign, Sims said. John Whitmire's Biography . } The top contenders have raised $5.5 million, with another full year of fundraising ahead of them. --link-color: #337ab7; Office. When Harvey happened and the state got billions and billions of dollars, Houston didnt get any money for years. We fix our problems.. display: inline-block; I am often asked why would I leave a state senate position to serve as mayor - simply because I care about Houston and its citizens who want to be safe to live, work, and raise their families in our great city. Kaplan raised $800,000 and pitched in another $100,000 of his own money. Campaign Webmail. In 2019, the Texas State Legislature was in its 86th legislative session from January 8 through May 27. } color: #6db24f; HOUSTON The race for Houston mayor is starting to heat up as Sylvester Turner 's term limit ends next year. .key-messages li {margin-bottom: 10px;} padding-bottom: 5px; If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you. text-align: center; Hollins reported a $1.1 million haul during the first five months of his campaign, while Edwards took in about $789,000 in a shorter span. Houston Public Media is supported with your gifts to the Houston Public Media Foundation and is licensed to the University of Houston. } [11] Heat has killed numerous prisoners and cost Texas taxpayers million of dollars in wrongful death suits brought by victims' families.