.cfheader { A special session was called for May 31 through June 29.[9]. Show us with your support. In 2015, the Texas State Legislature was in its 84th legislative session from January 13 through June 1. } } .results_row { She received about 42 percent of the vote, giving the longtime Democrat his narrowest win since the early 1990s. margin: 5px auto; The host committee is filled with prominent lobbyists, business groups, labor unions, former elected officials and a mix of donors to both political parties. div.survey-scrollbox { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } Elections in 2023 | In the hotel's reception room, Whitmire's first words to .
.contact_entity {font-size: 1.5em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} A number of Democrats, including former state representative and city councilmember Ellen Cohen and former Harris County Democratic Party chair Lane Lewis, also are on the host committee. His bill-passing expertise and warm ties to the GOP. document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content64038e9c5b59e').classList.add('leg-hnt-hide'); 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. .votebox-results-cell--check { Jasper Scherer covers Texas politics and government for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. font-weight: 300; padding-bottom: 5px; When you had a strong mayor form of government and when you are the mayor in this city, you run this city. font-weight: bold; Incumbents are bolded and underlined. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law. --title-background: #334aab; One, we dont want to. CONTACT [email protected] PO BOX 7271 Houston, TX 77248 . **Please note** If you are already signed up for the newsletter, you do not need to sign up again. And I've gotten a call from Houstonians to leave the legislature and come back and be elected mayor of the City of Houston," Whitmire said at the beginning of his campaign announcement. I want you to tell the firemen and the policemen that help is on the way, said Whitmire. } .results_row td { background-color: #db0000; Next week, they will likely be the former Board officers. | RELATED: Houston mayoral contenders rake in millions in campaign cash, setting new bar for early fundraising. Meet John; Conoce a John; Contact Us; GET IN TOUCH. [10] Other honorees included Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue and Connecticut Representative Diana Urban. It is no different than running a huge company, said Fertitta. "I'm . Lucio Vasquez produces stories for Houston Public Media's daily radio newscast and writes stories for HoustonPublicMedia.org. Meet John. height: 22px; This is from Fox 26 and the author of the legislation that provided the vehicle for the HISD takeover: I think I know how David felt against Goliath. State Sen. John Whitmire, the longest-tenured member of the Texas Senate, launched his campaign for Houston mayor on Tuesday. } font-weight: 500; Whitmire was born in Hillsboro north of Waco, Texas, to James Madison Whitmire, the Hill County clerk, and the former Ruth Marie Harris, a nurse. Overview; . clear: both; Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. mail Email. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022. font-weight: bold; FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan spoke with John Whitmire, Dean of the Texas Senate. float:right; } font-weight: bold; 2023 CAMPOS COMMUNICATIONS. Friday, March 20, 2020 - MONTGOMERY - The following statement from Secretary of State John H. Merrill is in direct response to this morning's opinion column written by Kyle Whitmire of AL.com: In an opinion column published this morning on AL.com, Kyle Whitmire stated "To preserve our right to vote and to protect public health, we must . John Whitmire did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey. 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. On June 10, 2003, the Tulia defendants were freed on bond as provided for in Senator Whitmire's legislation. Issue Category Data Type Last year, Whitmire voted for a GOP-backed bail bill that limits the opportunity for defendants to be released on no-cost personal bonds and gives judges more information about a defendants criminal history when setting bail. 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. display: block; .percentage_number { mail Email. A ll that was missing in the Post Oak Hotel ballroom were balloons and confetti as State Senator John Whitmire officially dove into Houston's 2023 mayoral race. 92 talking about this. padding-left: 10px; } font-size: 0.9em; color: white; The lieutenant governor would usually ask Whitmire, who holds the honorary title of "dean of the Senate" as its longest-serving member, to adjourn the chamber's proceedings. General District Capitol. John Whitmire's Biography . .widget-row.value-only.white { background-color: #f4f4f4; width: 43%; Whitmire's first mayoral campaign finance report, filed Tuesday, shows $1.1 million in new donations in the nearly two months between his formal campaign launch in November and the end of the. | Fertitta, who also spoke at the event, praised Whitmire for his bipartisan perspective. .widget-row.Democratic { Office. 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. letter-spacing: .03em; I thought they would fix the school, says Rep. (Harold) Dutton. background-color: #6db24f; color:white; display: inline-block; Disclosure: Unlike almost every other media outlet, The Texan is not beholden to any special interests, does not apply for any type of state or federal funding, and relies exclusively on its readers for financial support. that forced the city to implement a boil water notice, keeping businesses and schools closed for two days. Whitmire, the longest running Texas senator, announced Wednesday that he will. .inner_percentage.Green { How many generations of children do we have to lose, Dutton asks. vertical-align: top; . Answer: Pro-choice. padding-left: 16px; The billionaire also faulted Mayor Sylvester Turner for not taking a stronger stance to represent the citys interest. .cftable td { "They know if I'm mayor it's going to be fair, transparent, honest and play no favorites.". General District Capitol. Office: State Senate (TX) - District 15, Democratic Track This Politician. Houston Sen. John Whitmire (left) and local organizer Molly Cook (right) faced off in a primary this year to represent District 15. } 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. 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. Campaign. We are not New York or Chicago. Heres what you need to know. clearInterval(nTimer); We fix our problems.. Earlier this year, Whitmire survived a primary challenge from emergency room nurse Molly Cook, who cast herself as a more progressive alternative to Whitmire. The results have been certified. column-rule: 1px solid #aaa; Campaign finance reports as of January 3, 2023; Candidate Raised Amanda Edwards $1,100,000 Chris Hollins $1,400,000 Lee Kaplan $1,300,000 John Whitmire There are people who like the status quo. .widget-key { Texas Sen. John Whitmire District 15 ( D -Houston) Editor's note: The Tribune's directory is updated with Texas' new elected officials, who took office in January 2023 in recently redrawn. [3], In his early teenage years, he moved to North Houston and attended Waltrip High School. overflow-x: scroll; I wanted them to fix the schools. [2][3][4][5], Whitmire won re-election in the 2012 election for Texas State Senate, District 15. Texas Senator John Whitmire announced he will be running for mayor in 2023, kicking off his campaign Wednesday. He has spent his adult life working for Houstonians in our state's Capitol and now John is running for Houston Mayor. border:1px solid #FFB81F; .survey-result {padding:10px;} letter-spacing: .04em; John Whitmire, state senator and brother-in-law of former mayor Kathy Whitmire (Party affiliation: Democratic) . .widget-row.Libertarian { border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa; Houston has term limits, and Turner's second and final term will end in January 2024. .clearfix { .electionsectionheading { 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. padding-left: 0; [3], In 1982, Senator Jack Ogg vacated his seat to pursue the Attorney General position. .race_header.green { .leg-hnt-district-container { flex-wrap: wrap; I love Houston, as so many of you do. .cf_bp_logo {width: 35px !important;}. A native of San Francisco, he graduated from Northwestern University in 2017 with degrees in journalism and political science, and has interned for the Tampa Bay Times, Washington Post and Fortune magazine. margin-bottom: 1px; Capitol Webmail Capitol Website More Office Contactskeyboard . .indicate_scroll { One of those senators is John Whitmire, a Democrat from Houston, and the longest-serving member of the Democratic caucus. font-weight: 500; $(".collapse-all").on('click', () => { } 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. overflow-y: auto; Campaign. .election_results_text { If John Whitmire is our mayor, that wouldnt have happened.. Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2006. His tenure earns him the title of Dean of the Senate. [9], Whitmire was angered by convicted murderer's Lawrence Russell Brewer refusal to eat the extensive last meal he ordered prior to his September 21, 2011, execution. .votebox_legend { When you had a strong mayor form of government and when you are the mayor in this city, you run this city. Source. 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, illegal dumping, and dysfunctional city services, and emphasized regional public safety challenges. height: 56px; float: right; Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislators political positions. Whitmire's first mayoral campaign finance report, filed Tuesday, shows $1.1 million in new donations between his formal campaign launch in November and the end of the year. [3], Whitmire served in the Texas House with colleagues Gene Green, Craig Washington and Mickey Leland and eventually finished his undergraduate degree. With an $11 million warchest and thousands of. Everyone knows Commentary is working for the Whitmire Campaign. Whitmire has $11 million in his political war chest, a considerable head start for a candidate running a mayoral election. font-size: 12px; A longtime Houston politician, Whitmire holds close ties to the city's public employee unions, including the police and fire unions. background-color: #6db24f; currentSession: false mail Email. } Whitmire has. margin: 0 5px; If nominated, Sen. John Whitmire will face the sole Republican . 5:04 PM Dec 5, 2022 CST Whitmire's notable work on the Senate includes efforts to improve public safety and criminal justice. State legislature | overflow-x: auto; $('.hideResponses').show(); HOUSTON The race for Houston mayor is starting to heat up as Sylvester Turner 's term limit ends next year. Example video title will go here for this video. .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { } } [14][3], Whitmire won re-nomination to Senate District 15 in the Democratic primary election held on March 4, 2014. School districts | During his remarks, Whitmire said he faced opposition from those who like the status quo.. width: 35px !important; The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was December 9, 2013. Addressing a bipartisan crowd of more than 600 at Houston's Post Oak Hotel, Whitmire said he had personally . box-sizing: border-box; flex-direction: column; .expand-all:hover, .collapse-all:hover {cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;} tBackground: "#CCCCCC", He has served in the upper chamber since 1982. The. City officials waited nearly eight hours to notify the public, and never activated the emergency alert system until the notice was lifted Tuesday morning. if (typeof $ != 'undefined') { CONTACT. color: white; Previously he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 through 1982. State Sen. John Whitmire on Wednesday was leading in the . line-height: 1.5em; A free bi-weekly commentary on current events by Konni Burton. Strong leadership and commitment to public service defines John Whitmire. .leg-hnt-flex-row { [6] Whitmire captured the Senate District 15 seat, taking office in 1983. color: black; height: 50px; width: 50%; font-weight: 200; 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. } John Whitmire's Political Summary Office: State Senate (TX) - District 15, Democratic Track This Politician Contact Information Campaign Campaign Webmail Campaign Website Office General District Capitol mail Email Capitol Webmail Capitol Website More Office Contacts keyboard_arrow_down perm_identity Who exactly is Whitmire? He has also reported on local politics for both papers. In 2011, the Texas State Legislature was in its 82nd legislative session from January 11 through May 30. Whitmire graduated with a B.A. (Leah Foreman/Community Impact), Reporter, City Hall and Heights, River Oaks & Montrose. } color: black; When you look in this room tonight, you see Republicans and Democrats and you see the whole city of Houston, he said. font-weight: bold; Whitmire is thelongest-serving member of the Texas Senate. The more pressing matter Whitmire's re-election to. column-gap: 1em; In the Senate, Whitmire is best known for his work on criminal justice and public safety. 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. They include State Sen. John Whitmire, former city councilmember Amanda Edwards, former county . display: flex; } } font-size: 2em; A special session was held from July 18 to August 15. All Rights Reserved. text-align: center; .leg-hnt-flex-item { John Whitmire ( Democratic Party) is a member of the Texas State Senate, representing District 15. Tags Alan Rosen american red cross donations Harris County Precinct 1 Constables Office houston rockets Hurricane Ian hurricane relief Tilman Fertitta. The longest-serving member of the Texas Senate, Democrat State Sen. John Whitmire (Houston), announced that he is running for mayor of the City of Houston in 2023 while at a campaign event for his re-election to the Senate on Wednesday. margin-bottom: 0px; }, .leg-hnt-container { } } .leg-hnt-leadership > div { .mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { [8] Two additional called sessions were held from July 1 through July 30 and July 30 through August 5.[9]. .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper { In addition to being a senator, Whitmire is also an attorney of counsel at Locke, Liddell and Sapp. [4], Under pressure from the Federal Courts, the 1971 legislature drew up Texas's first single-member district plan for the House of Representatives. When Harvey happened and the state got billions and billions of dollars, Houston didnt get any money for years. Will the takeover be a sort of dictatorship? Campaign Website. z-index:1; 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. Houston Public Media is supported with your gifts to the Houston Public Media Foundation and is licensed to the University of Houston. vertical-align: middle; Campaign. [3] He is married to Rebecca Dalby. State Sen. John Whitmire formally launched his campaign for Houston mayor Tuesday evening with a fundraiser at the ritzy Post Oak Hotel, attended by dozens of the city's political luminaries including the hotel's billionaire owner, Tilman Fertitta, and several other Republican mega-donors who are opening their checkbooks for Whitmire, a moderate Democrat. Ron Hale was unopposed in the Republican primary, while incumbent John Whitmire defeated Damian LaCroix in the Democratic primary. font-size: 1.2em; } .votebox-scroll-container { font-size: 1.25em; 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. Let the Houston Public Media newsroom help you start your day. font-size: 16px; 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.
, See also:Texas State Senate elections, 2022. Join others and make your gift to Houston Public Media today. "I will be tough but smart on crime, keep our economy growing and ensure city services are working for all Houstonians.