background-color: #db0000 !important; text-align: center; "[11], The atmosphere was more victory . p.survey-question {font-weight:bold;} border-top: 1px solid #aaa; 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. background-color: #dac113; } Biography [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. 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. He has built up his war chest over a. .results_table_container { In 2016, the Texas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. Why I am running - John Whitmire for Mayor Jasper Scherer covers Texas politics and government for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. color: white; Then, donate to directly to his campaign. } Whitmire has served in the Senate since 1983. 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. top: -1px; 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. In 2012, the Texas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. background-color: #dac113; font-weight: bold; If youd like to become one of the people were financially accountable to, click here to subscribe. 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. 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. .cftable td { 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 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. 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. $('.showResponses').hide(); } font-size: 1.2em; width: 250px; Cook is the sole Democratic opponent for state Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston), incumbent for the safe blue Houston seat. Whitmire was not up for election to the Texas State Senate in 2008. He has also reported on local politics for both papers. Interns wanted: Get paid to help ensure that every voter has unbiased election information. As a former Houston city councilmember, I know city governments job is to provide core basic services, Rodriguez said. 5:32 PM Dec 5, 2022 CST, On Nov. 29, Sen. John Whitmire announced his official run to become Houston's next mayor. From improving public safety by being tough but smart on crime to promoting economic development, especially small businesses, to making City . 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. 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. .non_result_row th { of the recovery and rebuild efforts to the Texas General Land Office. Those who donate at least seven items will receive tickets to the Rockets' Oct. 24 home game against Utah. Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. by James Barragn color: white; background-color: #f9f9f9; width: 50%; Office. color:white !important; When Harvey happened and the state got billions and billions of dollars, Houston didnt get any money for years. Let the Houston Public Media newsroom help you start your day. Groogan: No one knows more about criminal justice, in my opinion, than you. } John Whitmire | Houston TX display: inline-block; 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. Office: State Senate (TX) - District 15, Democratic Track This Politician. Resources like these are made possible by the generosity of our community of donors, foundations, and corporate partners. .cftable td { Previously he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 through 1982. I didnt want to take over either. color: black; It is no different than running a huge company, said Fertitta. Who will replace the school board members? column-gap: 1em; clearInterval(nTimer); 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. borderColor: "#9C9C9C", in political science from the University of Houston and also attended Bates College of Law at the University of Houston. font-weight: 300; .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper .image-candidate-thumbnail { } 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. } Join others and make your gift to Houston Public Media today. Strong leadership and commitment to public service defines John Whitmire. Takeover Look - CAMPOS COMMUNICATIONS John Whitmire's Biography . 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. Capitol Webmail Capitol Website More Office Contactskeyboard . .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper { Watch Sen. Whitmire's full campaign announcement in the video player below: KHOU 11 on social media:Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. padding:7px 8px 8px; } } Office. 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. Campaign Finance Terms How Lobbying Works Video Tutorials Refund Policy Articles. font-weight: 400; It isn't Whitmire's first time preventing Democrats from breaking quorum, as he's previously undermined his colleagues' legislative strategies. 1158 - Duke Henry the Lion builds bridge, mint, and salt-depot. 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. } font-size: .9em; div.oneoff-scrollbox.short { height:250px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart . } } Ahead of mayoral bid, state Sen. John Whitmire faces unexpected test in box-sizing: border-box; Disclosure: Unlike almost every other media outlet, The Texan is not beholden to any special interests, does not apply for any type of state or federal funding, and relies exclusively on its readers for financial support. } background-color: grey; } vertical-align: top; Kaplan raised $800,000 and pitched in another $100,000 of his own money. I want you to tell Houstonians that help is on the way.. $('.pastResponses').hide(); Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $970,826. .mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { 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. State Senator John Whitmire Campaign Finance Report Filed - October 31 $('.showResponses').show(); [1] [2] 1175 - Munich gains official status as city. clear: both; Ron Hale was unopposed in the Republican primary, while incumbent John Whitmire defeated Damian LaCroix in the Democratic primary. .leg-hnt-leadership > div { Prior to his election to the state senate, Whitmire was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 to 1982.[1]. .race_header.libertarian { Whitmire was assigned to the following committees: .subcommittee { They include State Sen. John Whitmire, former city councilmember Amanda Edwards, former county . margin-top: 0px; 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. They were later pardoned by the Governor. Whitmire won re-election to the 15th District Seat in the general election on November 2, 2010, defeating Republican Bill Walker.
width: 35px !important; State Sen. John Whitmire, the longest-tenured member of the Texas Senate, launched his campaign for Houston mayor on Tuesday. margin: 5px auto; .infobox p { [8], Senator Whitmire passed legislation to free the Texans who were imprisoned as a result of the Tulia drug raid. Campaign Website. background-color: #f9f9f9; His current term ends on January 14, 2025. 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. .inner_percentage.Democratic { --subtitle-background: #334aab; apiKey: "96B21126-2E98-49FB-B21F-619C471959AD", width: 250px; } } .non_result_row div { So how much money does Whitmire have available for his mayoral campaign }, 100); 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. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; .succession-table th, .succession-table tr { --highlights-background: #d3d4d5; Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart Contact Information. color: #888; Ballotpedia completes yearly updates of committee membership. } Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2002. One of those senators is John Whitmire, a Democrat from Houston, and the longest-serving member of the Democratic caucus. padding-left: 10px; He won in the general election on November 8, 2022. margin-top: 16px; .results_row td:first-child { .source-link { There are people who like the status quo. Houston made national news this week following a water treatment facility equipment failure that forced the city to implement a boil water notice, keeping businesses and schools closed for two days. .widget-row.Democratic { color: #6db24f; Addressing a bipartisan crowd of more than 600 at Houston's Post Oak Hotel, Whitmire said he had personally . padding-left: 8px; Updated 10hrs ago. break-inside: avoid-column; There will be an anti-takeover event this afternoon at Discovery Green. margin-bottom: 0px; margin: 0; Adv. .indicate_scroll { 2023 CAMPOS COMMUNICATIONS. 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. a[aria-expanded=false] .fa-chevron-down { display: none; } 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. overflow-x: auto; Next week, they will likely be the former Board officers. .election_results_text { In 2015, the Texas State Legislature was in its 84th legislative session from January 13 through June 1. All Rights Reserved. Example video title will go here for this video. .leg-hnt-leadership { .widget-row { RELATED: Houston mayoral contenders rake in millions in campaign cash, setting new bar for early fundraising. But after he thought about all the issues that needed repairing in the city, he said he knew he would be the right person for the job. Previously he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 through 1982. display: inline-block; } left: 0px; font-weight: 500; [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. Mayoral candidate Whitmire files campaign contribution report One could mount a statewide campaign while . The host committee is filled with prominent lobbyists, business groups, labor unions, former elected officials and a mix of donors to both political parties. 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. Campaign Webmail. Dan Patrick often alluded to Whitmire's possible run during this year's special legislative sessions. } Whitmire has. paid for by the John Whitmire Campaign. A special session was held from July 18 to August 15. From Gulf Coast AFL-CIO in Houston Mayor's Race. John Whitmire Endorsed for Houston Mayor By Former Mayor Lee P. Brown After she married, her husband's brother, John Whitmire, already a rising star in the Texas Democratic Party, was a willing political mentor. 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. [10], In 2021, Whitmire stirred controversy by responding to questions about the lack of air conditioning in prisons by saying: You know, we can talk about this all day, its not gonna change. 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. } 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. State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told supporters on Wednesday he plans to run for mayor of Houston in 2023. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. State Sen. John Whitmire Announces Run for Houston Mayor in 2023 Election, Longtime state Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston) formally launched his campaign for Houston mayor Tuesday evening with promises to address myriad problems faced by the states most populous city, unveiling his campaign slogan: Fix Houston.. $626,696 Total Contributions. He is a longtime ally of Houston and Harris Countys police union groups, which also are on the host committee for his kickoff fundraiser. We're in the process of transitioning services for our Today in Houston newsletter. .cftable th { John Whitmire will focus on better streets, improved drainage and reliable garbage pickup.. font-size: 20px; max-width: 600px; Houston Sen. John Whitmire. CONTACT [email protected] PO BOX 7271 Houston, TX 77248 . 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. State Sen. John Whitmire speaks during a campaign rally last year in Houston. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. We can fix our problems. (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. The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart John Whitmire - Wikiwand 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. 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. [8] Two additional called sessions were held from July 1 through July 30 and July 30 through August 5.[9]. } width: 50%; School districts | The idea that we are losing control of our schools is undemocratic if you ask Commentary. .votebox_legend { Incumbent John Whitmire defeated George Vachris in the general election for Texas State Senate District 15 on November 8, 2022. Ballot measures, Who represents me? 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 Source, tusa-race-stage-summary, tusa-person-summary, tusa-filing-dates { U.S. President | border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa; font-weight: bold; John Whitmire - Ballotpedia [3], In his early teenage years, he moved to North Houston and attended Waltrip High School. From 1375 to 1392 John ruled in Bavaria-Landshut with his brothers Stephen III and Frederick. overflow-y: hidden; Who's Running for Mayor in Houston? Here's the Complete List 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.". 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. font-size: 2em; John Whitmire for Mayor. background-color: red; In 2020, the Texas State Legislature was not in session. The longtime Democrat, sitting on an $11 million campaign war chest, had recently announced his plan to run for mayor of Houston in 2023. Explore his positions, donors, and political history. Leah is a cat mom to a sweet tabby and enjoys retail therapy. In 2022, the Texas State Legislature was not in session. At the Capitol, Mr. Whitmire is the dean of the Senate where he took office in 1983 the title reserved for its longest-serving member. } .widget-row.value-only { Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2010. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The prisons are hot. $('.hideResponses').show(); 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. } We're in the process of transitioning services for our Today in Houston newsletter. During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $485,758. 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. Fertitta, who also spoke at the event, praised Whitmire for his bipartisan perspective. p.survey-response {margin-left:10px;} color: white; Hollins reported a $1.1 million haul during the first five months of his campaign, while Edwards took in about $789,000 in a shorter span.