background-color: black !important; .inner_percentage { Contact our sales team. It isn't Whitmire's first time preventing Democrats from breaking quorum, as he's previously undermined his colleagues' legislative strategies. margin: 5px auto; .cfheader.green { 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. paid for by the John Whitmire Campaign. } background-color: #003388; Ballotpedia completes yearly updates of committee membership. background-color: #f4f4f4; 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. [10] Other honorees included Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue and Connecticut Representative Diana Urban. margin-bottom: 0; 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. Over 3 million Texans impacted as emergency New loan available to help students complete 19 women-owned businesses to support in the Texas General Land Office posts Harris County Speaker Phelan announces new House priority bills Gov. that forced the city to implement a boil water notice, keeping businesses and schools closed for two days. John Whitmire's policy on Gun Buyback - isidewith.com Sen. John Whitmire kicks off campaign for Houston mayor Show us with your support. | 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. Whitmire's track record as a. 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. 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. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content64038e9c5b59e').classList.remove('leg-hnt-hide'); How many generations of children do we have to lose, Dutton asks. font-size: 0.9em; 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. padding-left: 8px; His old friends call him something else: "Boogie," a. $('.showResponses').show(); We fix our problems.. margin-right: 12px; "As a former Houston city councilmember, I know city government's job is to provide core basic services . Texas Sen. John Whitmire keeps committee chair position padding: 2px 0; font-weight: bold; George Vachris advanced from the Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 1, 2022. "We want to see somebody that can have a true impact on the city. 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. display: inline-block; Would Rep. Dutton consider doing what the mayor is proposing, writing a new law that says its not mandatory for the state to take over? [3], Whitmire won reelection to the state Senate in the general election held on November 6, 2018. line-height: 1.5em; padding-left: 16px; 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. John Whitmire | Candidate for State Senate, 15th District - Crowdpac On Jan. 17, Whitmire reported $10.1 million cash. } One of those senators is John Whitmire, a Democrat from Houston, and the longest-serving member of the Democratic caucus. "What I have discovered, it's not just homeless, illegal dumping and crosswalks, but our streets are in horrible conditions," Whitmire said. Lt. Gov. float:right; City officials waited nearly eight hours to notify the public, and never activated the emergency alert system until the notice was lifted Tuesday morning. When Harvey happened and the state got billions and billions of dollars, Houston didnt get any money for years. "We're running for mayor and we intend to win," he. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. width: 100%; Education, Crime, Transportation Divide State Sen. John Whitmire overflow-x: auto; 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. Example video title will go here for this video. (The Texan/Holly Hansen). One could mount a statewide campaign while . I can tell you this, if John Whitmire is our mayor, that wouldnt have happened.. John Whitmire for Mayor display: flex; Earlier this year, Whitmire survived a primary challenge from emergency room nurse Molly Cook, who cast herself as a more progressive alternative to Whitmire. Known as a can do public servant, John often says, "Houston is not New York or Chicago we areHouston. He also contributed $2,800 to Joe Bidens campaign in 2020. John Whitmire announced today that former Houston Mayor Lee P. Brown has endorsed him in his campaign for mayor of the City of Houston. text-align: left; It is Ballotpedias goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number. 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. } This is going to be one very expensive mayoral campaign, Sims said. margin-bottom:0px; .leg-hnt-title { During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $1,137,788. 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. column-rule: 1px solid #aaa; Houston Sen. John Whitmire (left) and local organizer Molly Cook (right) faced off in a primary this year to represent District 15. .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { Vote: John Whitmire voted Nay (Passage) - SB 260 - Amends Regulations Related to Immigration and Refugee Affairs 06/15/2011. font-size: 20px; background-color: green; display: inline-block; During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $1,932,588. Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2014. position: relative; color:white; We can fix our problems. John Whitmire for Mayor. Whitmire was not up for election to the Texas State Senate in 2008. padding-left: 0; mail Email. } } position: absolute; .widget-value { The report's staggering number, though, is the amount of cash he reports having on hand: about $10.1 million. FOX 26's Gabby Hart spoke with local criminal defense attorney Price Brown about if the . I want you to tell Houstonians that help is on the way.. Strong leadership and commitment to public service defines John Whitmire. [3] His father provided him a $5,000 loan for his campaign funds. U.S. President | John Whitmire's Biography . } 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. I wanted them to fix the schools. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. width: 100%; The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart To see all bills sponsored by this person, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table. HOUSTON The race for Houston mayor is starting to heat up as Sylvester Turner 's term limit ends next year. display: flex; In 2020, a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development audit flagged Houstons slow pace in administering Hurricane Harvey recovery funds, prompting the. 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. width: 100% !important;
.cfheader { 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. width: 100%; .leg-hnt-toggle-text { } U.S. Congress | Mayor Whitmire 2.0? - Off the Kuff display: inline-block; John Whitmire Obituary (2021) - Silvis, IL - Legacy.com 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. $('.pastResponses').show(); .inner_percentage, .inner_percentage.Nonpartisan, .inner_percentage.Independent, .inner_percentage.Constitution, .inner_percentage.unknown { State Sen. John Whitmire speaks during a campaign rally last year in Houston. height: 100%; 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 citys political luminaries including the hotels billionaire owner, Tilman Fertitta, and several other Republican mega-donors who are opening their checkbooks for Whitmire, a moderate Democrat. display: block; He was elected to the Texas Senate in 1982 after serving 10 years in the Texas House of Representatives. font-size: 110%; Adv. .race_header.democratic { 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 } } Leah is a cat mom to a sweet tabby and enjoys retail therapy. 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. Whitmire and his wife, Becki, have two children: Whitney and Sarah. .widget-row.value-only.black {
.contact_entity {font-size: 1.5em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} Were not gonna air condition them. border-bottom: 1px solid grey; Houston made national news this week following a, water treatment facility equipment failure. Sen. John Whitmire on track to win Democratic primary nomination for .race_header { I am thinking the GOP is biting off a bit more than they can chew on this call. font-weight: 100; float: right; During his remarks, Whitmire said he faced opposition from those who like the status quo.. I love Houston, as so many of you do. "I'm John Whitmire, a public servant, and I go where I'm called. I didnt want to take over either. Whitmire defeated Hale in the general election. margin: 0px 10px; Source. -John Whitmire. Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? display: inline-block; In 2017, the Texas State Legislature was in its 85th legislative session from January 10 through May 29. BACKGROUND: Ahead of mayoral bid, state Sen. John Whitmire faces unexpected test in Senate primary. } })(); See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection. padding-bottom: 7px; Whitmire has $11 million in his political war chest, a considerable head start for a candidate running a mayoral election. Those who donate at least seven items will receive tickets to the Rockets' Oct. 24 home game against Utah. 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. Incumbent John Whitmire defeated Damian Lacroix and Hank Segelke in the Democratic primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 6, 2018. I thought they would fix the school, says Rep. (Harold) Dutton. John Whitmire - Ballotpedia As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. clearInterval(nTimer); Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update. Fertitta, who also spoke at the event, praised Whitmire for his bipartisan perspective. Campaign Webmail. State Sen. John Whitmire has set his sights on replacing Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner once Turner's term ends. Democratic state Sen. John Whitmire is facing a new challenge in the legislature from a local community organizer after announcing his bid for mayor of Houston next year. .results_table_container { padding-left: 10px; backImage: "flat", } else { .widget-row.Libertarian { His current term ends on January 14, 2025. } In 2016, the Texas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. Together we can make it better. The top contenders have raised $5.5 million, with another full year of fundraising ahead of them. .votebox-results-metadata { Federal courts | font-size: 90%; Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislators political positions. display: table; display: block; } Every single department here is yours. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law. [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. color: white; .results_table { The prisons are hot. top: 0px; } color: #888; max-width: 75px; background-color: #db0000 !important; font-weight: 200; The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart position: relative; } vertical-align: middle; Apply today! --link-color: #337ab7; Office. color: black; padding-bottom: 5px; 1240 - Otto II Wittelsbach in power. Who will replace the school board members? overflow-y: auto; .leg-hnt-border-top { font-size: 12px; John Whitmire will focus on better streets, improved drainage and reliable garbage pickup.. background-color: #dac113; Earlier this year, William Paul-Thomas, a senior aide to Turner, In addition to a fundraising advantage, Whitmire although a, appears to be drawing support from both sides of the political aisle. 5:04 PM Dec 5, 2022 CST .mw-content-ltr td.votebox-results-cell--text, background-color: #f9f9f9; All Rights Reserved. --title-background: #334aab; 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. City term limit rules prevent Mayor Turner from seeking a third term after his current stint ends in January 2024. Texas state Sen. John Whitmire to run for Houston mayor in 2023 | The } Whitmire, who has previously criticized local leadership over public safety issues, highlighted city and county struggles to manage the criminal justice system. .cfheader.libertarian { Whitmire (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Texas State Senate to represent District 15. 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. border-radius: 50%; top: -5px; When you had a strong mayor form of government and when you are the mayor in this city, you run this city. } width: 250px; State Sen. John Whitmire displays bipartisan support while launching Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. The following list may not be comprehensive. Later, both Houston and Harris County were temporarily excluded from receiving relief funds. word-wrap: break-word; At the Capitol, Whitmire is the dean of the Senate where he took office in 1983 the title reserved for its longest-serving member. He assumed office in 1983. John Whitmire voters. } We are not New York or Chicago. $('.collapse').collapse('hide'); ". $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { font-size: 2em; margin-top: 5px; $('.hideResponses').hide(); How to run for office | Takeover Look - CAMPOS COMMUNICATIONS She received about 42 percent of the vote, giving the longtime Democrat his narrowest win since the early 1990s. 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. } Explore his positions, donors, and political history. Whitmire, a Democrat, was joined by several other Houston lawmakers at the event, including his Senate colleague Borris Miles. HOUSTON The race for Houston mayor is starting to heat up as Sylvester Turner's term limit ends next year. --subtitle-background: #334aab; .leg-hnt-responsive-columns { The police chief had made a gentleman's agreement with John Whitmire, dean of the Texas Senate, not to run against him, should the Houston lawmaker seek the mayor's office, as has been speculated. . .votebox-results-cell--number { 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. } by James Barragn text-align: center; There were no incumbents in this race. }. 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. Editorial: We recommend John Whitmire in the Democratic primary for 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. FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan spoke with John Whitmire, Dean of the Texas Senate. 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. Next week, they will likely be the former Board officers. .external_links_table { width: auto !important; } The results have been certified. }) max-height: 580px; font-style: italic; left: 0px; Campaign Finance Terms How Lobbying Works Video Tutorials Refund Policy Articles. As for his run for mayor, Whitmire says he won't start campaigning in earnest for mayor until July of 2023, a month after the regular session ends in June. .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper { Randy Orr advanced from the Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 6, 2018. Office. box-sizing: border-box; justify-content: center; font-weight: 300; 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. Elections for 15 of the 31 seats in the Texas State Senate took place in 2014. padding-bottom: 3px; [6] He ran unopposed in the primary. 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 . State Sen. John Whitmire, the longest-tenured member of the Texas Senate, launched his campaign for Houston mayor on Tuesday. width: 43%; Strong leadership and commitment to public service defines John Whitmire. 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. In 2014, the Texas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. of the recovery and rebuild efforts to the Texas General Land Office. Whitmire already has huge support from some very important figures, including former Houston PoliceChief Art Acevedo and Houston billionaire and philanthropist Tilman Fertitta. .leg-hnt-district-container { Whitmire won the primary following a runoff election and easily defeated his Republican opponent. I can tell you this. Incumbent John Whitmire defeated Randy Orr and Gilberto Velasquez Jr. in the general election for Texas State Senate District 15 on November 6, 2018. 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. To contribute to the list of Texas scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. border: 1px solid #999; Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. 1158 - Duke Henry the Lion builds bridge, mint, and salt-depot. .outer_percentage { [3] Whitmer also came under criticism from watchdog groups and colleagues for hiring a friend as a consultant to the Criminal Justice Committee. For Dean of Senate, Public and Private Blur | The Texas Tribune [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. School districts | [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. 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. margin-left: 20px; borderColor: "#9C9C9C", }. .top_disclaimer { 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. .leg-hnt-district-number { "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. There are people who like the status quo. } State executives | .source-link { 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. We fix our problems.. 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. 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.". Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. vertical-align: top; If John Whitmire is our mayor, that wouldnt have happened.. 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. 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. background: #4c4c4c; width: 50%; } 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. Whitmire has. Texas Sen. John Whitmire launches campaign for Houston mayor margin: 3px 0;