background-color: black !important; 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. Office: State Senate (TX) - District 15, Democratic Track This Politician. Kaplan raised $800,000 and pitched in another $100,000 of his own money. John W. Whitmire August 22, 1944-September 15, 2021 COLONA-John W. Whitmire, 77, of Colona passed away September 15, 2021 at Hartland Healthcare Center in Moline and is now in the loving arms of h Whitmire is thelongest-serving member of the Texas Senate. @media screen and (max-width: 350px) { The prisons are hot. font-weight: 100; font-size: .9em; .results_text { } width: 50%; [5] Whitmire's political science professor Richard Murray was the one to inspire him to run for office as he illustrated the newly drawn district lines that encompassed Whitmire's neighborhood. p.survey-question {font-weight:bold;} that forced the city to implement a boil water notice, keeping businesses and schools closed for two days. There will be an anti-takeover event this afternoon at Discovery Green. Staff. width: 43%; padding-bottom: 5px; .inner_percentage { -. .key-messages li {margin-bottom: 10px;} .race_header.green { I thought they would fix the school, says Rep. (Harold) Dutton. } John Whitmire voters. How to vote | "We want to see somebody that can have a true impact on the city. background-color: green; } margin: 3px 0; The top contenders have raised $5.5 million, with another full year of fundraising ahead of them. .cftable { "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. Fertitta, who also spoke at the event, praised Whitmire for his bipartisan perspective. .votebox-covid-disclaimer { Whitmire and his wife, Becki, have two children: Whitney and Sarah. Campaign Webmail. "I will be tough but smart on crime, keep our economy growing and ensure city services are working for all Houstonians. 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. Campaign. A scorecard evaluates a legislators voting record. height: 50px; How to run for office | ", "There are people that like the way the city is being operated because they are profiting really well," Whitmire said. background-color: black !important; John Whitmire is Candidate for State Senate, 15th District, 2022 Primary Election in Texas (TX). [8] Two additional called sessions were held from July 1 through July 30 and July 30 through August 5.[9]. Updated position: relative; 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. padding-top: 3px; left: 0px; 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. } $('.collapse').collapse('show'); Lt. Gov. } } } color:white !important; Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer. Ballotpedia completes yearly updates of committee membership. .infobox p { Incumbents are bolded and underlined. margin-bottom: 0px; He has donated millions of dollars to a mix of Democratic and Republican candidates over the years, though he typically has favored Republicans in statewide contests, donating to Gov. margin-top: 0px; Among them, public safety is a driving issue for the candidate. Meet John; Conoce a John; Contact Us; GET IN TOUCH. 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. $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { The Fund allowed the contract to expire following public scrutiny. Prior to that, he served 10 years in the Texas House of Representatives. font-size: 0.9em; }); What's on my ballot? Previously he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 through 1982. (Leah Foreman/Community Impact), Reporter, City Hall and Heights, River Oaks & Montrose. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton this year. font-weight: bold; Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update. State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told supporters on Wednesday he plans to run for mayor of Houston in 2023. .inner_percentage, .inner_percentage.Nonpartisan, .inner_percentage.Independent, .inner_percentage.Constitution, .inner_percentage.unknown { Former Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins, former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards and businessman Lee Kaplan are also running for Houston mayor. She received about 42 percent of the vote, giving the longtime Democrat his narrowest win since the early 1990s. .non_result_row div { font-weight: bold; John Whitmire did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey. }. Houston Sen. John Whitmire. 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John Whitmire for Mayor. font-weight: 500; I wanted them to fix the schools. 5:04 PM Dec 5, 2022 CST column-width: 175px; div.survey-scrollbox { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } margin-top: 1px; Office: State Senate (TX) - District 15, Democratic Track This Politician. John Whitmire's most recent views and policy on Gun Buyback in 2023. .leg-hnt-responsive-columns { "We're running for mayor and we intend to win," he. 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. I can tell you this, if John Whitmire is our mayor, that wouldnt have happened.. margin: 0; Campaign. mail Email. Incumbent John Whitmire defeated George Vachris in the general election for Texas State Senate District 15 on November 8, 2022. Its rattlesnake season in Texas. 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. Contact our sales team. He was elected to the Texas Senate in 1982 after serving 10 years in the Texas House of Representatives. .election_results_text { Will the takeover be a sort of dictatorship? font-weight: 400; State Sen. John Whitmire, the longest-tenured member of the Texas Senate, launched his campaign for Houston mayor on Tuesday. border-top: 1px solid #aaa; 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.". margin-bottom: 0; .race_header { 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. Whitmire was assigned to the following committees: .subcommittee { All Rights Reserved. } color: #6db24f; }, 100); $('#candidate-connection-email-104978').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-email'); }); State executives | 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. } } max-width: 75px;
background-color: #6db24f; .cftable td { I want you to tell the firemen and the policemen that help is on the way. Sims said Whitmires war chest gives him an edge, but one that is surmountable for the other candidates. Takeover Look. 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, Fort Worth Adds Two New Council Districts, Only Three Seats Unopposed, Austin Street Racing Shenanigans Light Fire Under Police Contract Debate, Austin Police Department to Host LGBT Criminal Justice World Conference in 2025. **Please note** If you are already signed up for the newsletter, you do not need to sign up again. padding: 2px; Do you value our journalism? Earlier this year, Whitmire survived a primary challenge from emergency room nurse Molly Cook, who cast herself as a more progressive alternative to Whitmire. border: 1px solid #a2a9b1 !important; 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. .votebox-results-cell--number { padding-left: 0; Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2000. letter-spacing: .04em; Whitmire, a Democrat, has represented Houston in the Legislature since 1973, first as a state representative and then in the Senate beginning in 1983. 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. font-weight: bold; Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. --progress-bar: #f0a236; He ultimately returned to the legislature, creating a quorum and undoing the efforts of the rest of the Texas Eleven. column-count: auto; 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. document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content64038e9c5b59e').classList.add('leg-hnt-hide'); .votebox { 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. For example, an advocacy groups scorecard may assess a legislators voting record on one issue while a state newspapers scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety. font-size: 1.2em; He also referenced his history of working with both sides of the aisle and holding his committee chairmanship under Republican leadership. complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. "[11], 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. From improving public safety by being tough but smart on crime to promoting economic development, especially small businesses, to making City . Everyone knows Commentary is working for the Whitmire Campaign. In 2015, the Texas State Legislature was in its 84th legislative session from January 13 through June 1. [6] He ran unopposed in the primary. 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. (function() { Whitmire was not up for election to the Texas State Senate in 2008. George Vachris advanced from the Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 1, 2022. .contact_entity {font-size: 1.0em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 0.5em;} [14][3], Whitmire won re-nomination to Senate District 15 in the Democratic primary election held on March 4, 2014. .votebox-scroll-container { .contact_entity {font-size: 1.5em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} .large-date { text-align: center; margin-top: 30px; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600;} "I will be tough but smart on crime, keep our economy growing and ensure city services are working for all Houstonians. margin-bottom:0px; In 2014, the Texas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper { } Whitmire (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Texas State Senate to represent District 15. [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. .widget-value { } At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees: At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Whitmire served on the following committees: At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Whitmire served on the following committees: In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Whitmire served on the following Texas Senate committees: In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Whitmire served on the following Texas Senate committees: The following table lists bills sponsored by this legislator. Join others and make your gift to Houston Public Media today. background-color: #f9d334; Campaign Website.
text-align:center; font-weight: bold; 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. event.srcElement.innerText = '[hide]'; over public safety issues, highlighted city and county struggles to manage the criminal justice system. He has nearly $10 million in his State Senate campaign account, and would easily be able to tap a long list of prospective donors he has strong relationships with to raise more. We're in the process of transitioning services for our Today in Houston newsletter. 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. .widget-row.Green { Whitmire ( Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Texas State Senate to represent District 15. [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. width: 90%; 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. It is no different than running a huge company, said Fertitta. .expand-all:hover, .collapse-all:hover {cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;} Source1Source2. .cfheader.democratic { display: block; John Whitmire | Houston TX display: inline-block; 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. border-bottom: 1px solid grey; Contact Information. font-weight: 300; With 152,728 votes (65.2 percent), he defeated the Republican candidate, Randy Orr, who polled 75,423 (32.2 percent). Incumbents are bolded and underlined. 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. display: block; .contact_office { font-size: 0.8 em; margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. | Incumbent John Whitmire defeated Damian Lacroix and Hank Segelke in the Democratic primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 6, 2018. Public policy. "I'm . Nancy Sims, a longtime political consultant who now teaches political science at the University of Houston, said she had "never seen such hardcore fundraising this high and this early" in a Houston mayor's race. })(); See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. One, we dont want to. font-weight: bold; When Harvey happened and the state got billions and billions of dollars, Houston didnt get any money for years. Ballotpedia features 395,557 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. [3] He began his law studies at the Bates College of Law, then passed the bar in 1981 while still serving in the House. 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. Since 1983, he has represented District 15, which includes much of northern Houston, Texas. .votebox-results-metadata-p { [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. .widget-row.heading { Counties | display: inline-block; 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 .outer_percentage { 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. color: #337ab7, event.srcElement.innerText = '[show]';
City term limit rules prevent Mayor Turner from seeking a third term after his current stint ends in January 2024. In 2020, the Texas State Legislature was not in session. Whitmire was not up for election to the Texas State Senate in 2004. a.communitylink { color:black; font-weight:bold; } column-gap: 1em; 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. Who will replace the school board members? $('.hideResponses').on('click', () => { Houston has term limits, and Turner's second and final term will end in January 2024. } background-color: #f9f9f9; display: 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. .mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { width: 50%; .widget-row.Republican { word-wrap: break-word; In 1392 John initiated a new partition of Bavaria since he refused to finance the Italian adventures of his brothers . They know if Im mayor, its going to be very transparent, honest, and play no favors, said Whitmire. 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. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022. width: 100%; color: #888; .infobox { We fix our problems.. .leg-hnt-flex-column { } The Public Officials of the Year program "recognizes leaders from state, city and county government who exemplify the ideals of public service. And early indications are that several of them are raising a lot of money.. "He was always someone I could . .results_row.winner { To contribute to the list of Texas scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org. Adv. Meet John. State Sen. John Whitmire, the longest-serving member of the Texas Senate, announced Wednesday night he will run for Houston mayor in 2023. Houston attorney weighs in on customer shooting, killing taqueria robber. width: 100% John Whitmire formally launches Houston mayoral bid with backing of Tilman Fertitta, GOP mega-donors, Timeline: How battle between Houston ISD, TEA has reached the point of a looming takeover. font-style: italic; document.getElementById('leg-hnt-toggle64038e9c5b59e').addEventListener('click', event => { justify-content: center; Whitmire graduated with a B.A. overflow-y: hidden; A special session was called for May 31 through June 29.[9]. a[aria-expanded=false] .fa-chevron-down { display: none; } Join others and make your gift to Houston Public Media today. } Prior to CI, Leah graduated with a bachelor's in communications and digital media from the University of Tampa in May 2020, earned a master's in journalism from New York University in December 2021 and freelanced. Get highlights, trending news, and behind-the-scenes insights from Houston Public Media delivered to your inbox each week. --highlights-background: #d3d4d5; 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. To see all bills sponsored by this person, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table. tBackground: "#CCCCCC", display: inline-block; padding: 2px 0; .results_row td:first-child { 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. Theres people that like the city is operating because they are profiting real well. John looks at things the right way and isnt partisan when it comes to doing the right thing.. The atmosphere was more victory . background-color: red; Office. [3], In 1982, Senator Jack Ogg vacated his seat to pursue the Attorney General position. margin-top: 16px; } The impending takeover of HISD by the TEA dates back to 2019, when Wheatley High School triggered a state law by failing to meet accountability standards for seven consecutive years. overflow-y: auto; } .inner_percentage.Democratic { On June 10, 2003, the Tulia defendants were freed on bond as provided for in Senator Whitmire's legislation. } Every single department here is yours. Capitol Webmail . [3] His father provided him a $5,000 loan for his campaign funds. John Whitmire announced today that former Houston Mayor Lee P. Brown has endorsed him in his campaign for mayor of the City of Houston. } } rowCount: "25", @media (max-width:600px) { .votebox-scroll-container { box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.03em; See the content from The Texans 88th Session Kickoff! .cf_bp_logo {width: 35px !important;}. Former City Council Member Amanda Edwards has raised $789,000, and local attorney Lee Kaplan has $900,000. State Sen. John Whitmire speaks during a campaign rally last year in Houston. Whitmire won re-election to the 15th District Seat in the general election on November 2, 2010, defeating Republican Bill Walker. The senator contacted the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and asked the agency to end the practice of last meal requests or he would get the State Legislature to pass a bill doing so. Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2010. Campaign Website. 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.