Incumbent John Whitmire defeated George Vachris in the general election for Texas State Senate District 15 on November 8, 2022. We're in the process of transitioning services for our Today in Houston newsletter. border-bottom: 1px solid grey; RELATED: Houston mayoral contenders rake in millions in campaign cash, setting new bar for early fundraising. letter-spacing: .03em; font-weight: 200; .results_row { Do you value our journalism? } Every single department here is yours. } The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was December 9, 2013. . } 1327. 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. } JOHN LISTON: WEEKLEY, RICHARD WELDON (DICK) UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON: She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Central Florida with a degree in History, and in addition to writing about politics and policy, also writes about faith and culture. var nTimer = setInterval(function() { The measure died after nearly every Democrat in the House voted against it, denying the two-thirds support needed to pass. With all voting centers reporting, John Whitmire has won the Democratic primary for Texas Senate District 15 with 57.5% of the vote, or 24,724 votes. John Whitmire voters. letter-spacing: 0.03em; } Later, both Houston and Harris County were temporarily excluded from receiving relief funds. FOX 26's Gabby Hart spoke with local criminal defense attorney Price Brown about if the . State Sen. John Whitmire, the longest-serving member of the Texas Senate, announced Wednesday night he will run for Houston mayor in 2023. Earlier this year, Whitmire survived a primary challenge from emergency room nurse Molly Cook, who cast herself as a more progressive alternative to Whitmire. display: block; State Sen. John Whitmire has identified as a Democrat for. I am thinking the GOP is biting off a bit more than they can chew on this call. Ron Hale was unopposed in the Republican primary, while incumbent John Whitmire defeated Damian LaCroix in the Democratic primary. vertical-align: top;

. Were not gonna air condition them. Answer: Pro-choice. A longtime Houston politician, Whitmire holds close ties to the city's public employee unions, including the police and fire unions. He defeated his intraparty challenger, Damian LaCroix, 9,756 (75.1 percent) to 3,232 votes (24.9 percent). list-style-type: circle; $(".expand-all").on('click', () => { Whitmire won the primary following a runoff election and easily defeated his Republican opponent. Whitmire, the longest-tenured member of the Texas Senate, has joined a Houston mayoral race that includes Amanda K. Edwards, Chris Hollins and Lee Kaplan. background-color: #dac113; .infobox p { padding-left: 0; margin: 3px 0; display: inline-block; In other controversies, Turner opposed a voter-approved pay parity measure for the citys firefighters, and the citys lawsuit to prevent implementation of the measure remains pending before the states Supreme Court. Lucio Vasquez produces stories for Houston Public Media's daily radio newscast and writes stories for HoustonPublicMedia.org. The two candidates participated in a virtual discussion on Tuesday night where Whitmire touted his seniority and experience while Cook billed herself as a more progressive grassroots alternative. color: white; Office. Houstonians, who would you like in the middle of the night to call the governors office for whatever you need? asked Whitmire. They know if Im mayor, its going to be very transparent, honest, and play no favors, said Whitmire. height: 22px; padding-bottom: 5px; How to vote | }, 100); background-color: #003388; } If nominated, Sen. John Whitmire will face the sole Republican . [3], In 1982, Senator Jack Ogg vacated his seat to pursue the Attorney General position.

color: #337ab7, 		width: 50px; 	.leg-hnt-leadership-title { 	font-weight: bold; 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. 	.inner_percentage, .inner_percentage.Nonpartisan, .inner_percentage.Independent, .inner_percentage.Constitution, .inner_percentage.unknown { Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. 	display: inline-block; He was elected to the Texas Senate in 1982 after serving 10 years in the Texas House of Representatives. [citation needed] Whitmire attended college at the University of Houston to study political science while paying for his education by working for the Texas State Welfare Department, where he interviewed food stamp recipients for compliance. [3] Whitmire remains the chair as of the Eighty-seventh Texas Legislature. 			.results_table_container { Whitmire (Democratic Party)  ran for re-election to the Texas State Senate to represent District 15. 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. Since 1983, he has represented District 15, which includes much of northern Houston, Texas.  		font-size: 16px; 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. Houston attorney weighs in on customer shooting, killing taqueria robber. 		font-size: 90%; 	.race_header.democratic { 	} 
}  	font-size: .9em; If you'd like to sign up now, fill out the form below and we will add you as soon as we finish the transition. Other announced candidates include former Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins, who presided over the controversial 2020 general election in Harris County and has raised $1.1 million. 	.election_results_text { 	}); What's on my ballot?  The event comes roughly a year after Whitmire told supporters at a campaign rally that he planned to run for mayor. I want you to tell the firemen and the policemen that help is on the way. The Public Officials of the Year program "recognizes leaders from state, city and county government who exemplify the ideals of public service. General District Capitol. 			} 	font-weight: bold;  "He was always someone I could . Campaign Webmail. 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. In 2020, the Texas State Legislature was not in session. FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan spoke with John Whitmire, Dean of the Texas Senate. 		background-color: #dac113; Whitmires criminal justice stances are expected to bolster his position among Republican voters and donors, including those who supported Mealer in a county judge race that focused heavily on violent crime rates in Harris County. Since 1983, he has represented District 15, which includes much of northern Houston, Texas. Office: State Senate (TX) - District 15, Democratic Track This Politician. John Harris Whitmire [1] is an American attorney and politician who is the longest-serving current member of the Texas State Senate. Besides supporting law enforcement officers, he said he would also take a holistic approach to improving the criminal justice system including offering more resources to the court system and the crime lab. 		padding-left: 16px; [10]  Other honorees included Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue and Connecticut Representative Diana Urban. 		padding: 2px 0; 		text-align: left !important; 	.inner_percentage.Libertarian { John Whitmire's most recent views and policy on Gun Buyback in 2023. On October 26, 2010, Governing magazine named Whitmire and Texas Representative Jerry Madden as two of eight "Public Officials of the Year" for their work on reforming the Texas correctional system. In 2016, the Texas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. 		display: none;  Let the Houston Public Media newsroom help you start your day. 		background-color: #ccc; 		font-size: 110%; Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2010. 			document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content64038e9c5b59e').classList.add('leg-hnt-hide'); 	.non_result_row div { Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2014. Number two, we couldnt afford it if we wanted to. Whitmire's quote was featured the following month on a segment on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver criticizing Texas for not air conditioning its prisons, exacerbating medical conditions and even causing the death of some prisoners. Source1Source2. $('.collapse').collapse('hide'); Updated 	font-weight: bold; Whitmire has served in the Senate since 1983. 		width: 100%; I didnt want to take over either. [15], (Third party index of birth records for Hill County), "Birth Certificate for John Harris Whitmire", "For Dean of Senate, Public and Private Blur", "WHITMIRE, REBECCA DALBY vs. WHITMIRE, JOHN HARRIS", "Overview: Texas House Districts 18461982", "The Texas State Senate  Senator John Whitmire: District 15", "Texas Death Row Kitchen Cooks Its Last 'Last Meal', "John Oliver welcomes summer by reminding you that prisons are cooking people to death", "John Whitmire was on a roll coming into the 1995 Legislature. I want you to tell Houstonians that help is on the way.. 	} 	.race_header.libertarian { 		margin-bottom: 0px; 5:04 PM Dec 5, 2022 CST He is running for re-election this year and said he plans to run for mayor of Houston in 2023. Ballot measures, Who represents me? BACKGROUND: Ahead of mayoral bid, state Sen. John Whitmire faces unexpected test in Senate primary. 	.leg-hnt-border-top { Gilberto Velasquez, Jr. was running as a Libertarian candidate. 
. 		color: #888; $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { width: 50%; In 2020, a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development audit flagged Houstons slow pace in administering Hurricane Harvey recovery funds, prompting the federal agency to shift control of the recovery and rebuild efforts to the Texas General Land Office. 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. 	margin-top: 1px; This membership information was last updated in March 2021. Im not going to get into squabbles with other elected officials about what the numbers are, but the bottom line is we have a crime issue in Houston, Harris County, said Whitmire. 	.inner_percentage.Republican {  He noted some courtrooms were still closed despite nearly 2,000 murder suspects awaiting trial and more than 900 suspects out on bond for murder or capital murder. 	  }); .votebox { .clearfix { Fertitta previously attracted attention for contributing more than $100,000 to Donald Trumps re-election bid. Known as a can do public servant, John often says, "Houston is not New York or Chicago  we areHouston. Houstons mayoral and city council elections will take place on November 7, 2023, and voters will also have the opportunity to weigh in on a charter amendment Turner successfully deferred in 2021. margin-left: 20px; 	margin-bottom: 0; The announcement confirmed a move that was rumored for months and made Whitmire the first candidate to publicly announce his intention to succeed Sylvester Turner as the mayor of the state's most populous city. Everyone knows Commentary is working for the Whitmire Campaign. Campaign Website. 		display: table; Tilman Fertitta, billionaire investor and owner of the Houston Rockets basketball team, introduced Whitmire, and while not mentioning incumbent term-limited Mayor Sylvester Turner by name, referenced several controversies under Turners leadership. Issue Category Data Type Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. [3] He is married to Rebecca Dalby. 	color: black; During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $481,540. Whitmire has.  		width: 100% !important; [3], In his early teenage years, he moved to North Houston and attended Waltrip High School. $('.hideResponses').hide(); He's also eyeing a run for Houston mayor in 2023. Yilun Cheng is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle, covering local politics and City Hall. 

} A primary election took place on March 4, 2014. Adv. On Nov. 29, Texas Sen. John Whitmire announced his official campaign to become Houston's next mayor at a fundraiser at the Post Oak Hotel. [3], Whitmire won reelection to the state Senate in the general election held on November 6, 2018. | Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. max-width: 600px; He has also reported on local politics for both papers. .mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { .cftable { width: 150px; Sheriff: 4 arrested, 3 vehicles seized after parking lot takeover near Missouri City, Houston forecast: Get ready for a picture perfect weekend, Damage reported throughout North Texas area during severe weather, longest-serving member of the Texas Senate, Former U.S. Senate candidate Amanda Edwards announces run for Houston mayor, Chris Hollins will run to replace Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. One could mount a statewide campaign while . .leg-hnt-title { Later, both Houston and Harris County were temporarily excluded from receiving relief funds. color: #888; } State legislature | [14][3], Whitmire won re-nomination to Senate District 15 in the Democratic primary election held on March 4, 2014. He told the Houston Chronicle that he intends to run for reelection to the Senate in 2022, serve in the 2023 legislative session and then run for mayor in November that year. text-align: left; margin-top: 5px; clearInterval(nTimer); box-sizing: border-box; Groogan: No one knows more about criminal justice, in my opinion, than you. We fix our problems.. width: 35px !important; If John Whitmire is our mayor, that wouldnt have happened.. There will be an anti-takeover event this afternoon at Discovery Green. background-color: #ccf; .votebox-results-cell--number { Contact our sales team. display: block; border-radius: 50%; My question is how long are we going to wait until they fix the schools in Northeast Houston? School districts | "They know if I'm mayor it's going to be fair, transparent, honest and play no favorites.". Earlier this year, William Paul-Thomas, a senior aide to Turner, pled guilty to federal public corruption charges and resigned. He has built up his war chest over a. Previously he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 through 1982. "[11],

If you'd like to sign up now, fill out the form below and we will add you as soon as we finish the transition. Here is what State Rep. Jarvis Johnson put out this morning: Lets be clear: state takeovers have never worked anywhere much less for a district as large and diverse as Houston. .widget-row.Green { Fertitta, who chairs the Houston Police Foundation, a nonprofit formed by business leaders that supports the Houston Police Department, is serving as Whitmires campaign finance chair. margin: 5px auto; border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa; overflow-y: auto; During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $1,932,588. Whitmire already has huge support from some very important figures, including former Houston PoliceChief Art Acevedo and Houston billionaire and philanthropist Tilman Fertitta. .cftable td { [13], During the 1990s, Whitmer was the subject of several controversies related to potential conflicts of interest with clients and employers stemming from his position on the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. [12], In 2003, Whitmire was one of the "Texas Eleven", a group of Democrats who fled the state for New Mexico in 2003 in a quorum-busting effort aimed at preventing the passage of redistricting legislation that would have benefited Texas Republicans. clear: both; max-width: 75px; } background-color: #6db24f; .votebox { He ultimately returned to the legislature, creating a quorum and undoing the efforts of the rest of the Texas Eleven. When I passed this law, I never thought this would happen. The top contenders have raised $5.5 million, with another full year of fundraising ahead of them. Austin, TX, November 30, 2022 Longtime state Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston) formally launched his campaign for Houston mayor Tuesday evening with promises to address myriad problems faced by the state's most populous city, unveiling his campaign slogan: "Fix Houston.". --view-more-background: #f0a236; $('#candidate-connection-email-104978').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-email'); }); .survey-result {padding:10px;} During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $1,137,788. State Sen. John Whitmire has set his sights on replacing Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner once Turner's term ends. background-color: #db0000; } On Nov. 7, 2006, Whitmire won re-election to the 15th District Seat in the Texas State Senate, defeating opponent Angel DeLaRosa (R). column-count: auto; Get highlights, trending news, and behind-the-scenes insights from Houston Public Media delivered to your inbox each week. padding: 2px; Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2012. Watch Sen. Whitmire's full campaign announcement in the video player below: KHOU 11 on social media:Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube. 1240 - Otto II Wittelsbach in power. color:white !important; background-color: #f9f9f9; He has served in the upper chamber since 1982. box-sizing: border-box; Get highlights, trending news, and behind-the-scenes insights from Houston Public Media delivered to your inbox each week. div.oneoff-scrollbox.short { height:250px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } John Whitmire Texas State Senate District 15 $9,503,981 Cash on Hand. column-rule: 1px solid #aaa; .votebox_legend { To contribute to the list of Texas scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected]. General District Capitol. } Standing next to a display that referred to the region as the "Murder Capital of Texas," state Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston) and Harris County Deputies Organization (HCDO) President David Cuevas called for county leaders to address crime and provide more resources for law enforcement. In this, we have an open race with people who have to build their name ID from the beginning and make voters acquainted with them. font-size: 1.25em; .cfheader.libertarian { John Whitmire Campaign (State Cmte) Johnson Victory PAC (State Cmte) Johnson for Congress: Joseph Sanchez for New Mexico (State Cmte) Josh Hawley for Senate: Juan J. Chuy Hinojosa Campaign (State Cmte) Kaptur for Congress: Karlins, Michael J. Kay Ivey for Governor, Inc. Keel, Thornton J. Heres what you need to know. 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. color:white; Money is not everything, as we saw in the Harris County judges race, where the Republican candidate outraised the incumbent by 5-to-1, nearly 6-to-1, Sims said. background-color: #f9f9f9; } } .electionsectionheading { And early indications are that several of them are raising a lot of money.. .votebox_bp_logo { Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. Texas Senator John Whitmire announced he will be running for mayor in 2023, kicking. .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { mail Email. State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told supporters on Wednesday he plans to run for mayor of Houston in 2023. } event.srcElement.innerText = '[hide]'; "We're running for mayor and we intend to win," he.

float:right; 		font-style: italic; 		top: 0px; U.S. President | mail Email. Whitmire, the longest-serving member of the Texas Senate, will first run for reelection to the chamber in 2022 before his mayoral run the following year. In 2020, a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development audit flagged Houstons slow pace in administering Hurricane Harvey recovery funds, prompting the. Your subscription will be migrated over. 	color: white; Takeover Look. Each year since 1994, Governing has selected a handful of state and local officials to honor for standout job performance. In 2019, the Texas State Legislature was in its 86th legislative session from January 8 through May 27. Houston Public Media is supported with your gifts to the Houston Public Media Foundation and is licensed to the University of Houston. Houston Public Media is supported with your gifts to the Houston Public Media Foundation and is licensed to the University of Houston. 	.votebox-results-metadata { 	.mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h3.votebox-header-office-name { Source, tusa-race-stage-summary, tusa-person-summary, tusa-filing-dates { John Whitmire will focus on better streets, improved drainage and reliable garbage pickup.. }. Whitmire was assigned to the following committees: .subcommittee { Cook is the sole Democratic opponent for state Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston), incumbent for the safe blue Houston seat. | How to run for office | 	    backImage: "flat", State Sen. John Whitmire opted out of collecting a $140,000 annual pension courtesy of a new amendment that was added into the state employee retirement system in the last regular legislative session. document.getElementById('leg-hnt-toggle64038e9c5b59e').addEventListener('click', event => { 

Former Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins, former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards and businessman Lee Kaplan are also running for Houston mayor. In 2022, the Texas State Legislature was not in session. [14] In 1995, Whitmer came under investigation by the Harris County district attorney's office for taking a job with a state agency whose funding he oversaw via the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. .contact_office { font-size: 0.8 em; margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} display: block; [2][3][4][5], Whitmire won re-election in the 2012 election for Texas State Senate, District 15. } .results_row td:first-child { Example video title will go here for this video. document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content64038e9c5b59e').classList.remove('leg-hnt-hide'); } Audience members Tuesday included District Attorney Kim Ogg, City Council Member Edward Pollard, and former mayoral candidate and Forward Party State Co-Chair Bill King. John Whitmire (Democratic Party) is a member of the Texas State Senate, representing District 15. 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.". padding-top: 5px; } } .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper .image-candidate-thumbnail { We can fix our problems. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. div.oneoff-scrollbox.regular { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } .widget-row.value-only { The agency replied that last meal requests were accommodated "within reason" from food available in the prison kitchen, but it agreed to end the practice immediately at Whitmire's insistence. Randy Orr advanced from the Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 6, 2018. I want you to tell Houstonians that help is on the way.. Mealer donors serving on the host committee for Tuesdays fundraiser include Fertitta, Gallery Furniture owner Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale, real estate developer Richard Weekley, Fidelis Realty Partners CEO Alan Hassenflu and Houston beer distributor John Nau, among others. } text-align: center; Turner also delayed implementation of a financial transparency project that would have put the citys checkbook online until next year, and last year, former city housing director Tom McCasland accused the mayor of a lack of transparency in awarding a $15 million contract to a former law partner. } background-color: white; In 2013, the Texas State Legislature was in its 83rd legislative session from January 8 through May 27. He assumed office in 1983.

} Public policy. Im not going to get into squabbles with other elected officials about what the numbers are, but the bottom line is we have a crime issue in Houston, Harris County, he said at the fundraiser. Senator John Whitmire represents the 15th Senatorial District comprised of north Houston and parts of Harris County. .leg-hnt-section-title { 1239 - Coat of arms of Munich in use. that forced the city to implement a boil water notice, keeping businesses and schools closed for two days. } Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law. The host committee for Tuesdays event included many Republicans such as retiring state Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Humble) and real estate developer Dick Weekley. Whitmire said his first response was "no" because he liked the work he was doing in the Senate. I love Houston, as so many of you do. linkColor: "#0b0080", The general election was held on November 4, 2014. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. margin: 0; } padding-bottom: 5px; flex: 0 0 150px; Whitmire, the longest-serving member of the Texas Senate, already has $9.5 million in his state campaign account, according to his most recent filing. He is a longtime ally of Houston and Harris Countys police union groups, which also are on the host committee for his kickoff fundraiser. margin-top: 0px; } State and local courts | The longtime chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee is calling for a bi-partisan sense of urgency to restore crumbling public safety across the Lone Star State. } } } John Harris Whitmire (born August 13, 1949)[1] is an American attorney and politician who is the longest-serving current member of the Texas State Senate. I can tell you this. Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2002. All Rights Reserved. At the Capitol, Whitmire is the dean of the Senate where he took office in 1983 the title reserved for its longest-serving member.

$('.collapse').collapse('show');

font-size:1.2em; 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.   --title-background: #334aab; [3], In 1993, weeks after passing a bill benefitting the Houston Firefighters' Relief and Retirement Fund, Whitmer was hired by the Fund as a Washington, D.C. lobbyist. [email protected]. 		margin-bottom:16px; CONTACT. 

} He told the newspaper a public announcement will come later but "it's no secret" that he plans to run for mayor. Lt. Gov. And the real solution is, dont commit a crime and you stay at home and be cool.

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