color: #337ab7, .inner_percentage.Libertarian { Strong leadership and commitment to public service defines John Whitmire. Those who donate at least seven items will receive tickets to the Rockets' Oct. 24 home game against Utah. .results_row.winner { [6], Whitmire raised $1,072,000 while DeLaRosa raised $12,808.[7]. Meet John. width: 350px; ", "There are people that like the way the city is being operated because they are profiting really well," Whitmire said. } Dan Patrick often alluded to Whitmire's possible run during this year's special legislative sessions. color: white; Whitmire already has huge support from some very important figures, including former Houston PoliceChief Art Acevedo and Houston billionaire and philanthropist Tilman Fertitta. **Please note** If you are already signed up for the newsletter, you do not need to sign up again. width: 35px !important; .mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { We can fix our problems. width: 43%; Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton this year. left: 0; One could mount a statewide campaign while . The Texas State Senate - Senator John Whitmire: District 15 Sims said Whitmires war chest gives him an edge, but one that is surmountable for the other candidates. Whitmire is the longest-serving member of the Texas Senate. .leg-hnt-hide { } padding-left: 0; Whitmire has served in the Senate since 1983. "As Houston's first African-American police chief and mayor, I am proud to endorse Senator John Whitmire to be Houston's next mayor," said Former Mayor Brown. [3], In his early teenage years, he moved to North Houston and attended Waltrip High School. He ultimately returned to the legislature, creating a quorum and undoing the efforts of the rest of the Texas Eleven. State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told supporters on Wednesday he plans to run for mayor of Houston in 2023. John Harris Whitmire (born August 13, 1949) is an American attorney and politician who is the longest-serving current member of the Texas State Senate.Since 1983, he has represented District 15, which includes much of northern Houston, Texas.His tenure earns him the title of Dean of the Senate. She received about 42 percent of the vote, giving the longtime Democrat his narrowest win since the early 1990s. height: 100%; BACKGROUND: Ahead of mayoral bid, state Sen. John Whitmire faces unexpected test in Senate primary. Senator John Whitmire represents the 15th Senatorial District comprised of north Houston and parts of Harris County. "John looks at things the right way and isn't partisan when it comes to making the right decisions," Fertitta said. 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. 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. Timeline of Munich - Wikipedia Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. 100% remote. 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. font-size: 20px; In 2020, the Texas State Legislature was not in session. 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. Adv. 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. Get highlights, trending news, and behind-the-scenes insights from Houston Public Media delivered to your inbox each week. For Dean of Senate, Public and Private Blur | The Texas Tribune [8], Senator Whitmire passed legislation to free the Texans who were imprisoned as a result of the Tulia drug raid. Whitmire vs. Cook highlights primary races of local interest div.survey-scrollbox { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } margin: 0px 10px; Vote: John Whitmire voted Nay (Passage) - SB 260 - Amends Regulations Related to Immigration and Refugee Affairs 06/15/2011. Secretary of State John H. Merrill Responds to Kyle Whitmire of AL.com Example video title will go here for this video. padding-left: 10px; width: 500, height: 22px; I can tell you this, if John Whitmire is our mayor, that wouldnt have happened.. In the hotel's reception room, Whitmire's first words to . "I will be tough but smart on crime, keep our economy growing and ensure city services are working for all Houstonians. font-style: italic; width: 100%; Adv. Previously he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 through 1982. } .leg-hnt-leadership > div { document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content64038e9c5b59e').classList.add('leg-hnt-hide'); A primary election took place on March 4, 2014. margin-bottom: 4px; } John Whitmire - Texas Candidate - Transparency USA Whitmire said that this was Brewer's attempt to "make a mockery out of the process." } .leg-hnt-district-number { The John Whitmire for Mayor Campaign put this out this morning: John Whitmire announced today that former Houston City Councilmember James Rodriguez has endorsed him in his campaign for mayor of the City of Houston. width: 100% !important; . background-color: black !important; CONTACT. .expand-all:hover, .collapse-all:hover {cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;} list-style-type: circle; }) Ballot measures, Who represents me? width: 50%; position: absolute; Fertitta, who also spoke at the event, praised Whitmire for his bipartisan perspective. .non_result_row div { Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Sen. John Whitmire on track to win Democratic primary nomination for 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. Biography .cftable td { --progress-bar: #f0a236; 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. John Whitmire - Ballotpedia Texas state Sen. John Whitmire to run for Houston mayor in 2023 | The The measure died after nearly every Democrat in the House voted against it, denying the two-thirds support needed to pass. display: flex; Do you value our journalism? 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. When you had a strong mayor form of government and when you are the mayor in this city, you run this city. Though his record generally aligns with those of his Democratic colleagues on other issues, Whitmire has broken with his party on a number of votes related to criminal justice. } } Your subscription will be migrated over. 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. General District Capitol. | John Whitmire Receives Endorsement From Gulf Coast AFL-CIO in Houston .key-messages li {margin-bottom: 10px;} When you look in this room tonight, you see Republicans and Democrats and you see the whole city of Houston, he said. } Watch Sen. Whitmire's full campaign announcement in the video player below: KHOU 11 on social media:Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube. Houston made national news this week following a, water treatment facility equipment failure. Are we headed into uncharted territory so to speak? "Well I can tell you that public safety to me is near and dear to my heart and I don't think there's a member of the legislature that's worked as hard on common sense reforms and on being practical, affirm but fair, as it relates to keeping people safe," Acevedo said. . } padding-bottom: 8px; background-color: green; Texas Sen. John Whitmire keeps committee chair position border-bottom: 1px solid grey; He told the newspaper a public announcement will come later but "it's no secret" that he plans to run for mayor. Campaign Website. Tags Amanda Edwards campaign finance Chris Hollins houston mayor Houston mayoral election James McIngvale Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale John Whitmire Lee Kaplan Mattress Mack State Sen. John Whitmire Tilman Fertitta. FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan spoke with John Whitmire, Dean of the Texas Senate. color:white; } 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. If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you. .leg-hnt-district-container { Pol. Groogan: No one knows more about criminal justice, in my opinion, than you. paid for by the John Whitmire Campaign. Previously he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 through 1982. Theyre uncomfortable. John Whitmire - Wikipedia From Gulf Coast AFL-CIO in Houston Mayor's Race. line-height: 1.5em; that forced the city to implement a boil water notice, keeping businesses and schools closed for two days. .leg-hnt-border-top { font-size: .9em; }); .votebox { 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. display: block; . border: 1px solid #aaa; "I will be tough but smart on crime, keep our economy growing and ensure city services are working for all Houstonians. } (Contributed photo) State Sen. John Whitmire said he plans to run for mayor of Houston in 2023, after the next biennial session of the Texas Legislature. | $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { UPDATE: Incumbent Whitmire projected to win Texas Senate District 15 }, 100); 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. width: 100%
Mur #7594 | Fec . font-weight: bold; Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. margin-bottom: 1px; }
John Whitmire. Senator John Whitmire represents the 15th Senatorial District comprised of north Houston and parts of Harris County. 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. John Whitmire's Biography . 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. } [10] Other honorees included Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue and Connecticut Representative Diana Urban. He did not graduate, as state law at the time allowed legislators entrance to the bar without a full J.D. Touting the campaign slogan Fix Houston, Whitmire discussed Houstons rising crime, fraying infrastructure, and need for transparency. John Whitmire speaking at his mayoral announcement. What will be their political backgrounds? He's also eyeing a run for Houston mayor in 2023. font-size:1.2em; font-weight: 100; "We want to see somebody that can have a true impact on the city. .race_header.green { vertical-align: middle; .contact_office { font-size: 0.8 em; margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} Exclusive: Abbott explains push against diversity hiring programs, Texas wants to ban delta-8, but veterans are pushing back, The Breakfast Klub sues prominent City Hall consultant for fraud, UH, Texas A&M removing DEI statements from hiring practices, Galveston gets fourth Carnival Cruise Line, Lauren Daigle at Houston Rodeo: 'God always has your number', Bun B, Badu, J.J. Watt celebrate RodeoHouston Southern Takeover, Houston is the most stressful city to work in, says new study, Man dead, person arrested after suspected homicide in League City, Houston mayoral contenders rake in millions in campaign cash, setting new bar for early fundraising, expected to start the race with a massive financial advantage over the rest of the field, Ahead of mayoral bid, state Sen. John Whitmire faces unexpected test in Senate primary, cast herself as a more progressive alternative, Texas GOP may censure Tony Gonzales over gay marriage, gun votes, Rep. Joaquin Castro's health plan points to a new Texas trend, Rep. Joaquin Castro diagnosed with cancer, undergoes surgery, Texas House Speaker appoints committee for gun legislation, Santa Fe families still denied video, records from 2018 shooting. Whitmire won the primary following a runoff election and easily defeated his Republican opponent. Serving in the Texas Senate since 1983, Whitmire boasts about $11 million in his campaign account. (Leah Foreman/Community Impact), Reporter, City Hall and Heights, River Oaks & Montrose. .results_text { background-color: #003388; I want you to tell the firemen and the policemen that help is on the way, said Whitmire. Texas Senator John Whitmire announced he will be running for mayor in 2023, kicking. padding-left: 16px; Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. } background-color: white; } State Sen. John Whitmire has set his sights on replacing Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner once Turner's term ends. flex: 0 0 175px; The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart "As a former Houston city councilmember, I know city government's job is to provide core basic services . } It is no different than running a huge company, Fertitta said. When Harvey happened and the state got billions and billions of dollars, Houston didnt get any money for years. Why Is John Whitmire Saying 'Hell No' To $140K Annual Pension? margin: 8px auto; .cftable th { background-color: black !important; width: 250px; $(".collapse-all").on('click', () => { , and dysfunctional city services, and emphasized regional public safety challenges. .leg-hnt-leadership { Jasper Scherer covers Texas politics and government for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. .non_result_row th { He has an $11 million campaign war chest,. @media (max-width:600px) { Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. color:white; .widget-value { 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. 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. Wikizero - <span class="mw-page-title-main">John Whitmire</span> Whitmire is Texas Senate's longest-serving member, and his plans include running for reelection to the Senate in 2022, serving in the 2023 legislative session, and then running for mayor in November that year, as reported by the Houston Chronicle. "He was always someone I could . margin-top: 1em; Nov. 18, 20214 PM Central. U.S. President | break-inside: avoid-column; UPDATE: Incumbent John Whitmire wins Democratic primary for Texas .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { Houston police are asking a bystander who shot a man 9 times and killed him while he was in the act of robbing people inside a Houston restaurant to come forward for questioning. box-sizing: border-box; John Whitmire's Finances . In 2017, the Texas State Legislature was in its 85th legislative session from January 10 through May 29. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. 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. position: relative; } 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. Since 1983, he has represented District 15, which includes much of northern Houston, Texas. In 2013, the Texas State Legislature was in its 83rd legislative session from January 8 through May 27. .inner_percentage.CrossFiled { 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. Everyone knows Commentary is working for the Whitmire Campaign. With 152,728 votes (65.2 percent), he defeated the Republican candidate, Randy Orr, who polled 75,423 (32.2 percent). .leg-hnt-flex-item { Texas Senator John Whitmire announced he will be running for mayor in 2023, kicking off his campaign Wednesday. .votebox-covid-disclaimer { } He won in the general election on November 8, 2022. width: 100%; | 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. Kathy Whitmire - Wikipedia .widget-key {
font-size:1.2em; Then, donate to directly to his campaign. My question is how long are we going to wait until they fix the schools in Northeast Houston? float: left; Another 6,266 votes (2.7 percent) went to the Libertarian choice, Gilberto "Gil" Velasquez, Jr.[7], In 1993, Whitmire was appointed by Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock as Chair of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, where he oversaw reforms to the penal code and increased construction of prisons, to generally favorable reception. mail Email. padding-bottom: 5px; In the Senate, Whitmire is best known for his work on criminal justice and public safety. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. Below the Waterlines: Houston After Hurricane Harvey, Mattress Mack asks Harris County voters to dish details about bad experiences on Election Day 2022, Harris County Election Administrator Clifford Tatum, Harris County Elections Administrator's Office, GOP donor Mattress Mack files lawsuit against Harris County Elections office for access to 2022 Election Day records, Houston Rockets, Harris County constable team up for Hurricane Ian relief drive, Harris County Precinct 1 Constables Office, 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 parks hosting free 'Jazzy Sundays' concerts from March through May, Historic Battleship Texas, parked for repairs, seeking high-traffic area for next home, Tim McGraw, Lil Nas X among headliners for March Madness Music Festival in Downtown Houston. background-color: grey; One of those senators is John Whitmire, a Democrat from Houston, and the longest-serving member of the Democratic caucus. Holly Hansen is a regional reporter for The Texan living in Harris County. .widget-row { .election_results_text { } }, .leg-hnt-container { The Public Officials of the Year program "recognizes leaders from state, city and county government who exemplify the ideals of public service. font-size: 16px; .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h3.votebox-header-office-name { By Leah Foreman In 2019, the Texas State Legislature was in its 86th legislative session from January 8 through May 27. In 2021, the Texas State Legislature was in session from January 12 to May 31. font-size: 12px; 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. School districts | .votebox-scroll-container { } .cftable { Campaign Webmail. } State Sen. John Whitmire announces he will run for mayor of Houston in 2023 PO BOX 7271 Join others and make your gift to Houston Public Media today. Theres people that like the city is operating because they are profiting real well. margin-right: 10px; The general election was held on November 4, 2014. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law. borderColor: "#9C9C9C", "They know if I'm mayor it's going to be fair, transparent, honest and play no favorites.". padding: 2px 0; Contact our sales team. John Whitmire | Houston TX Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2000. 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. Federal courts | A special session was called for May 31 through June 29.[9]. The report's staggering number, though, is the amount of cash he reports having on hand: about $10.1 million. column-gap: 1em; padding-top: 8px; background-color: #f9f9f9; $('.collapse').collapse('show'); Updated 10hrs ago. margin-bottom: 0; Education, Crime, Transportation Divide State Sen. John Whitmire color: black; } else { --link-color: #337ab7; Each year since 1994, Governing has selected a handful of state and local officials to honor for standout job performance. } font-size: 0.9em; They were later pardoned by the Governor. Together we can make it better. The longest-serving member of the Texas Senate, Democrat John Whitmire is the first of the now four candidates to announce his run for mayor. a[aria-expanded=true] .fa-chevron-right { display: none; } He has served in the upper chamber since 1982. .votebox_legend .non_result_row { He also voted to amend the Texas Constitution to expand the charges under which judges could deny bail outright, extending the list to include certain violent and sexual crimes. John Whitmire | Candidate for State Senate, 15th District - Crowdpac In 2014, the Texas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. .percentage_number { John Whitmire for Mayor Get highlights, trending news, and behind-the-scenes insights from Houston Public Media delivered to your inbox each week. Whitmire, who is a moderate Democrat, said he got involved in the mayor's race when he got a call from constituents who told him that he can unite the community. } vertical-align: top; })(); See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection. State Sen. John Whitmire, the longest-tenured member of the Texas Senate, launched his campaign for Houston mayor on Tuesday. Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2010. a.communitylink { color:black; font-weight:bold; } From improving public safety by being tough but smart on crime to promoting economic development, especially small businesses, to making City Hall more efficient to benefit everyone, John Whitmire wants to use his years of experiencetomake Houston abetterplace to work and live. In addition to a fundraising advantage, Whitmire although a staunch Democrat appears to be drawing support from both sides of the political aisle. Why I am running - John Whitmire for Mayor His tenure earns him the title of Dean of the Senate. Whitmire has $11 million in his political war chest, a considerable head start for a candidate running a mayoral election. linkColor: "#0b0080", .cfheader { display: inline; When you had a strong mayor form of government and when you are the mayor in this city, you run this city. } } State Sen. John Whitmire on Wednesday was leading in the . $8,368,554 Total Expenditures. } 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. The John Whitmire Campaign for Houston Mayor raised $1,148,015 from supporters in less than one month between the 2022 General Election and the legislative fundraising moratorium. It isn't Whitmire's first time preventing Democrats from breaking quorum, as he's previously undermined his colleagues' legislative strategies. }. Democrat State Sen. John Whitmire to Run for Houston Mayor in 2023 } div.oneoff-scrollbox.short { height:250px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } And early indications are that several of them are raising a lot of money.. } 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. Public policy. } 5:04 PM Dec 5, 2022 CST margin-top: 5px; clearInterval(nTimer);