} width: 100%; State Sen. John Whitmire has set his sights on replacing Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner once Turner's term ends. Let the Houston Public Media newsroom help you start your day. p.survey-response {white-space: pre-line;} width: 50%; font-weight: 100; It isn't Whitmire's first time preventing Democrats from breaking quorum, as he's previously undermined his colleagues' legislative strategies. } [citation needed] Whitmire attended college at the University of Houston to study political science while paying for his education by working for the Texas State Welfare Department, where he interviewed food stamp recipients for compliance. position: relative; } .votebox-covid-disclaimer { padding:7px 8px 8px; 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. @media (max-width:600px) { National Federation of Independent Business in Texas, Texas Tribune Guest Column: Mark P. Jones, John Buntin, "The Correctionists," October 2010, https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=John_Whitmire&oldid=8769085, Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022, Special Congressional elections (2023-2024), 2022 Congressional Competitiveness Report, State Executive Competitiveness Report, 2022, State Legislative Competitiveness Report, 2022, Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections. } Whitmire said his first response was "no" because he liked the work he was doing in the Senate. 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. font-size: 90%; .votebox_bp_logo {
} .source-link { [1] [2] 1175 - Munich gains official status as city. .votebox-results-cell--check { [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. [3] Whitmer also came under criticism from watchdog groups and colleagues for hiring a friend as a consultant to the Criminal Justice Committee. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was December 9, 2013. for Tuesdays event included many Republicans such as retiring state Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Humble) and real estate developer Dick Weekley. Whitmire's notable work on the Senate includes efforts to improve public safety and criminal justice. position: relative; There were no incumbents in this race. } .inner_percentage.CrossFiled { George Vachris advanced from the Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 1, 2022. } When you look in this room tonight, you see Republicans and Democrats and you see the whole city of Houston, he said. color:white !important; John Whitmire | Houston TX 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. 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. .results_row td:first-child { .votebox_legend { He is a longtime ally of Houston and Harris Countys police union groups, which also are on the host committee for his kickoff fundraiser. Incumbent John Whitmire defeated Damian Lacroix and Hank Segelke in the Democratic primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 6, 2018. } .top_disclaimer { } Get highlights, trending news, and behind-the-scenes insights from Houston Public Media delivered to your inbox each week. border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa; As we head into the weekend, folks are wondering what a TEA takeover of HISD looks like. The featured photo is the HISD Board officers. margin-left: 20px; Whitmire was not available for comment Thursday afternoon. .contact_office { margin-top: 0.3em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} --subtitle-background: #334aab; background-color: white; The event comes roughly a year after Whitmire told supporters at a campaign rally that he planned to run for mayor. color:white; During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $485,758. top: 2px; He is running for re-election this year and said he plans to run for mayor of Houston in 2023. State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told supporters on Wednesday he plans to run for mayor of Houston in 2023. font-size: 12px; Whitmire, the longest-tenured member of the Texas Senate, has joined a Houston mayoral race that includes Amanda K. Edwards, Chris Hollins and Lee Kaplan. 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. The measure died after nearly every Democrat in the House voted against it, denying the two-thirds support needed to pass. padding-bottom: 5px; One, we dont want to. I am thinking the GOP is biting off a bit more than they can chew on this call. His tenure earns him the title of Dean of the Senate. overflow-x: auto; column-rule: 1px solid #aaa; Capitol Webmail . 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. At a time when newsroom resources and revenue across the country are declining, The Texas Tribune remains committed to sustaining our mission: creating a more engaged and informed Texas with every story we cover, every event we convene and every newsletter we send. Touting the campaign slogan Fix Houston, Whitmire discussed Houstons rising crime, fraying infrastructure, and need for transparency. Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. 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. 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. Whitmire is the longest-serving member of the Texas Senate. } Will the takeover be a sort of dictatorship? I want you to tell the firemen and the policemen that help is on the way, said Whitmire. .leg-hnt-district-container { (Leah Foreman/Community Impact), Reporter, City Hall and Heights, River Oaks & Montrose. Source, tusa-race-stage-summary, tusa-person-summary, tusa-filing-dates { 5:04 PM Dec 5, 2022 CST Campaign Webmail. Kaplan raised $800,000 and pitched in another $100,000 of his own money. .cfheader { We're in the process of transitioning services for our Today in Houston newsletter. width: 100%; ", "There are people that like the way the city is being operated because they are profiting really well," Whitmire said. When you had a strong mayor form of government and when you are the mayor in this city, you run this city. Whitmire and his wife, Becki, have two children: Whitney and Sarah. A free bi-weekly commentary on current events by Konni Burton. 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. This is what the Whitmire Campaign for Mayor put out yesterday: John Whitmire Receives Endorsement. From improving public safety by being tough but smart on crime to promoting economic development, especially small businesses, to making City . } Elections in 2023 | If nominated, Sen. John Whitmire will face the sole Republican . Prior to that, he served 10 years in the Texas House of Representatives.
She received about 42 percent of the vote, giving the longtime Democrat his narrowest win since the early 1990s. .leg-hnt-flex-row { .cftable th { [3] His father provided him a $5,000 loan for his campaign funds. width: 35px !important; Resources like these are made possible by the generosity of our community of donors, foundations, and corporate partners. "I will be tough but smart on crime, keep our economy growing and ensure city services are working for all Houstonians. On June 10, 2003, the Tulia defendants were freed on bond as provided for in Senator Whitmire's legislation. @media screen and (max-width: 350px) { He was elected to the Texas Senate in 1982 after serving 10 years in the Texas House of Representatives. }. State executives | With 152,728 votes (65.2 percent), he defeated the Republican candidate, Randy Orr, who polled 75,423 (32.2 percent). display: inline-block; 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. John Whitmire's most recent views and policy on Gun Buyback in 2023. Every single department here is yours. Houston Public Media is supported with your gifts to the Houston Public Media Foundation and is licensed to the University of Houston. .panel-heading:hover { cursor: pointer;} position: absolute; border:1px solid #FFB81F; Example video title will go here for this video. **Please note** If you are already signed up for the newsletter, you do not need to sign up again. 1239 - Coat of arms of Munich in use. .widget-img { Credit- Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune 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. Her father had been active in precinct-level politics, and the family frequently talked about local political issues.background-color: #db0000 !important; background-color: #f9f9f9; } } left: 0; .cfheader.republican { Incumbent John Whitmire defeated Molly Cook in the Democratic primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 1, 2022. Office. 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. Boosting Whitmires mayoral bid are a number of donors who helped bankroll the recent campaign of Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer, who came within two percentage points of unseating Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo in this months midterm election. display: block; In the Senate, Whitmire is best known for his work on criminal justice and public safety. General District Capitol. Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer. that forced the city to implement a boil water notice, keeping businesses and schools closed for two days. And the real solution is, dont commit a crime and you stay at home and be cool. Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2000. During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $481,540. His tenure earns him the title of Dean of the Senate. Campaign. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. The billionaire also faulted Mayor Sylvester Turner for not taking a stronger stance to represent the citys interest. .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { Whitmire has. He has an $11 million campaign war chest,. padding-top: 5px; margin: 8px auto; $(".collapse-all").on('click', () => { State Sen. John Whitmire has identified as a Democrat for. .results_table_container { .votebox-results-metadata-p { overflow: hidden; (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. Houston made national news this week following a, water treatment facility equipment failure. apiKey: "96B21126-2E98-49FB-B21F-619C471959AD", 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. The following list may not be comprehensive. background-color: #f9d334; 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. } In 1385 John II and his wife inherited a third of County of Gorizia with Lienz, but already in 1392 he sold his part to the Habsburgs. Since 1983, he has represented District 15, which includes much of northern Houston, Texas. margin: auto; max-width: 600px; } margin-bottom:16px; } .widget-row.heading { padding-left: 16px; Houston Public Media is supported with your gifts to the Houston Public Media Foundation and is licensed to the University of Houston.background-color: #003388; color: white; margin-top: 5px; They know if Im mayor, its going to be very transparent, honest and play no favors, he said. }} font-size: 2em; background-color: black !important; margin-bottom: 0px; } Join others and make your gift to Houston Public Media today. Office: State Senate (TX) - District 15, Democratic Track This Politician. --title-background: #334aab; } Together we can make it better. State Sen. John Whitmire opted out of collecting a $140,000 annual pension courtesy of a new amendment that was added into the state employee retirement system in the last regular legislative session. .non_result_row { 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. Cities | [14][3], Whitmire won re-nomination to Senate District 15 in the Democratic primary election held on March 4, 2014. 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 was born in Hillsboro north of Waco, Texas, to James Madison Whitmire, the Hill County clerk, and the former Ruth Marie Harris, a nurse. font-weight: bold; This membership information was last updated in March 2021. Your subscription will be migrated over. With 774 of 782 precincts reporting, Democrat incumbent John Whitmire is projected to win the race for Texas Senate District 15. over Republican challenger George Brian Vachris. .widget-row.Libertarian { font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.03em; Leah is a cat mom to a sweet tabby and enjoys retail therapy. border: 1px solid #999; Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. } 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. of the recovery and rebuild efforts to the Texas General Land Office. 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. .cfheader.democratic { }. 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. 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. The report's staggering number, though, is the amount of cash he reports having on hand: about $10.1 million. [11] Heat has killed numerous prisoners and cost Texas taxpayers million of dollars in wrongful death suits brought by victims' families. background-color: #dac113; column-gap: 1em; Campaign Finance Terms How Lobbying Works Video Tutorials Refund Policy Articles. Randy Orr advanced from the Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 6, 2018. It is Ballotpedias goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number. position: absolute; .results_text { text-align: center; background-color: #003388; .widget-row.Democratic { .leg-hnt-border-top { display: inline-block; } letter-spacing: 0.03em; 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. Next week, they will likely be the former Board officers.
text-align:center; $('.showResponses').show(); 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. -.background-color: black !important; } 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. Those who donate at least seven items will receive tickets to the Rockets' Oct. 24 home game against Utah. font-size: 1.25em; width: 100% !important; 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. .leg-hnt-toggle-text { John Whitmire, state senator and brother-in-law of former mayor Kathy Whitmire (Party affiliation: Democratic) . Elections for 15 of the 31 seats in the Texas State Senate took place in 2014. Earlier this year, William Paul-Thomas, a senior aide to Turner, pled guilty to federal public corruption charges and resigned. border-radius: 50%; A handful of other candidates have joined the race since then, including former Harris County clerk Chris Hollins, former city councilmember Amanda Edwards and attorney Lee Kaplan. .race_header { PO BOX 7271 width: 250px; My question is how long are we going to wait until they fix the schools in Northeast Houston? $('.collapse').collapse('show'); }, .leg-hnt-container { If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org. .cftable { 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. Campaign Website. .external_links_table { width: auto !important; } Senate seat will be on the ballot in 2032, and the next Governor's race would be in 2034. 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. Let the Houston Public Media newsroom help you start your day. "I will be tough but smart on crime, keep our economy growing and ensure city services are working for all Houstonians. Kathy Whitmire's exposure to and interest in city politics began in her parents' home. background-color: #003388; [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. The results have been certified. }) In addition to being a senator, Whitmire is also an attorney of counsel at Locke, Liddell and Sapp. Earlier this year, Whitmire survived a primary challenge from emergency room nurse Molly Cook, who cast herself as a more progressive alternative to Whitmire. [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. font-weight: 300; 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. "I'm . width: 50%; width: 150px; A longtime Houston politician, Whitmire holds close ties to the city's public employee unions, including the police and fire unions.