A longtime Houston politician, Whitmire holds close ties to the city's public employee unions, including the police and fire unions. .widget-row.heading { 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 border-top: 1px solid #aaa; } He did not graduate, as state law at the time allowed legislators entrance to the bar without a full J.D. display: table; Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer. border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa; This is what the Whitmire Campaign for Mayor put out yesterday: John Whitmire Receives Endorsement. There were no incumbents in this race. display: inline-block; HOUSTON The race for Houston mayor is starting to heat up as Sylvester Turner 's term limit ends next year. Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2010. John Whitmire announced today that former Houston Mayor Lee P. Brown has endorsed him in his campaign for mayor of the City of Houston. column-rule: 1px solid #aaa; position: relative; mail Email. .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h3.votebox-header-office-name { Campaign Webmail. margin: auto; Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan spoke with John Whitmire, Dean of the Texas Senate. [14] The district attorney eventually cleared him of wrongdoing. margin-bottom: 4px; } 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. With 152,728 votes (65.2 percent), he defeated the Republican candidate, Randy Orr, who polled 75,423 (32.2 percent). When I passed this law, I never thought this would happen. [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. Tags Alan Rosen american red cross donations Harris County Precinct 1 Constables Office houston rockets Hurricane Ian hurricane relief Tilman Fertitta. 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. .contact_office { font-size: 0.8 em; margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} John Whitmire (Democratic Party) is a member of the Texas State Senate, representing District 15. In 2015, the Texas State Legislature was in its 84th legislative session from January 13 through June 1. Kathy Whitmire's exposure to and interest in city politics began in her parents' home. State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told supporters on Wednesday he plans to run for mayor of Houston in 2023. Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. font-size: 90%; Your subscription will be migrated over. [3], Whitmire served in the Texas House with colleagues Gene Green, Craig Washington and Mickey Leland and eventually finished his undergraduate degree. .widget-value { break-inside: avoid-column; Adv. } (Leah Foreman/Community Impact), Reporter, City Hall and Heights, River Oaks & Montrose. .inner_percentage.CrossFiled { He has spent his adult life working for Houstonians in our states Capitol and now John is running for Houston Mayor. .inner_percentage.Libertarian { .results_row.winner { 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. Whitmire has served in the Senate since 1983. $8,368,554 Total Expenditures. } 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. document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content64038e9c5b59e').classList.add('leg-hnt-hide'); font-weight: 200; 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. } color: #888; 1255 - City becomes ducal residence of Upper Bavaria. Yilun Cheng is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle, covering local politics and City Hall. Together we can make it better." Who will replace the school board members? Whitmire was not up for election to the Texas State Senate in 2008. left: 0; Whitmire, a Democrat, was joined by several other Houston lawmakers at the event, including his Senate colleague Borris Miles. margin-bottom:16px; School districts | 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.

} mail Email. font-weight: 500; What will be their political backgrounds? "He was always someone I could . that forced the city to implement a boil water notice, keeping businesses and schools closed for two days. But Whitmire expressed this is not going to hold him back because he believes he's the only candidate who has the experience and resources to handle major problems when they arise. [3], In 1982, Senator Jack Ogg vacated his seat to pursue the Attorney General position. } } background-color: grey; Groogan: No one knows more about criminal justice, in my opinion, than you. apiKey: "96B21126-2E98-49FB-B21F-619C471959AD", [15], (Third party index of birth records for Hill County), "Birth Certificate for John Harris Whitmire", "For Dean of Senate, Public and Private Blur", "WHITMIRE, REBECCA DALBY vs. WHITMIRE, JOHN HARRIS", "Overview: Texas House Districts 18461982", "The Texas State Senate Senator John Whitmire: District 15", "Texas Death Row Kitchen Cooks Its Last 'Last Meal', "John Oliver welcomes summer by reminding you that prisons are cooking people to death", "John Whitmire was on a roll coming into the 1995 Legislature. At the Capitol, Whitmire is the dean of the Senate where he took office in 1983 the title reserved for its longest-serving member. background-color: #003388; The results have been certified. letter-spacing: 0.03em; color: white; Later, both Houston and Harris County were temporarily excluded from receiving relief funds. in political science from the University of Houston and also attended Bates College of Law at the University of Houston. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. Federal courts | U.S. Congress | borderColor: "#9C9C9C", On Jan. 17, Whitmire reported $10.1 million cash. }. display: inline-block; .cftable { padding: 2px 0; padding-bottom: 7px; 

   background-color: #003388; Your subscription will be migrated over. 	display: inline-block; Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. for Tuesdays event included many Republicans such as retiring state Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Humble) and real estate developer Dick Weekley. A special session was called for May 31 through June 29.[9]. 	} 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. [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. Biography 
. . Prior to his election to the state senate, Whitmire was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 to 1982.[1]. 	.race_footer {  By Leah Foreman  		color: #6db24f; 		width: 100%; } 		padding:7px 8px 8px; 	}  There are people who like the status quo. ul.key-messages {list-style-type: none; margin-left:10px; }  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. 		float: left; 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. He won  in the general election on November 8, 2022. $('#candidate-connection-twitter-104978').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-twitter'); }); 
 	.leg-hnt-title { Campaign Website. [8], Senator Whitmire passed legislation to free the Texans who were imprisoned as a result of the Tulia drug raid. Former City Council Member Amanda Edwards has raised $789,000, and local attorney Lee Kaplan has $900,000. Office. During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $1,072,000. 	} Watch Sen. Whitmire's full campaign announcement in the video player below: KHOU 11 on social media:Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube. 		background-color: #f4f4f4; 
 The host committee for Tuesdays event included many Republicans such as retiring state Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Humble) and real estate developer Dick Weekley. **Please note** If you are already signed up for the newsletter, you do not need to sign up again. $('.hideResponses').on('click', () => {  
   .contact_entity {font-size: 1.5em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} 		color: #888; Houston Sen. John Whitmire. His tenure earns him the title of Dean of the Senate. It is no different than running a huge company, Fertitta said. 	} 		display: inline; } 	margin-bottom: 0; I believe using my experience and commitment to public service we will make Houston even better.  	.mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { Whitmire defeated Hale in the general election. .cf_bp_logo {width: 35px !important;}.    } 	.race_header.republican { border:1px solid #FFB81F; Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. 	.votebox-covid-disclaimer { 
   --title-background: #334aab; 5:32 PM Dec 5, 2022 CST, On Nov. 29, Sen. John Whitmire announced his official run to become Houston's next mayor. 	.votebox-results-cell--number { johnwhitmire@johnwhitmire.com.  	font-weight: bold; 	} 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. 	} 	} 		z-index:1;  [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. Her father had been active in precinct-level politics, and the family frequently talked about local political issues. 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. 	    height:  300, A primary election took place on March 4, 2014. 	.votebox-results-cell--check { Whitmire's notable work on the Senate includes efforts to improve public safety and criminal justice. 		padding-left: 16px; Whitmire ( Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Texas State Senate to represent District 15. 
, See also:Texas State Senate elections, 2022. How many generations of children do we have to lose, Dutton asks. 
color: #337ab7, The results have been certified. According to his latest campaign finance report, Whitmire leads the assembly of candidates for the most cash in his campaign bank account. 		width: 100%; 		padding-bottom: 5px; font-weight: 400; 		letter-spacing: 0.03em; He defeated his intraparty challenger, Damian LaCroix, 9,756 (75.1 percent) to 3,232 votes (24.9 percent). 		font-weight: 300; Texas Senator John Whitmire announced he will be running for mayor in 2023, kicking. , and dysfunctional city services, and emphasized regional public safety challenges. "I'm . 
 The top contenders have raised $5.5 million, with another full year of fundraising ahead of them. He has served in the upper chamber since 1982. From 1375 to 1392 John ruled in Bavaria-Landshut with his brothers Stephen III and Frederick. 
 		} John Whitmire | Houston TX 	    width:  500, 	} } by James Barragn 100% remote. 		letter-spacing: .04em; If nominated, Sen. John Whitmire will face the sole Republican . BT50.Widget({ } 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. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. In 2022, the Texas State Legislature was not in session. Houstonians, who would you like in the middle of the night to call the governors office for whatever you need? asked Whitmire. 
} 	.results_table {
font-size: 110%; 1158 - Duke Henry the Lion builds bridge, mint, and salt-depot. 1240 - Otto II Wittelsbach in power. Theyre uncomfortable. 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. vertical-align: middle; --highlights-background: #d3d4d5;

[3] Whitmer also came under criticism from watchdog groups and colleagues for hiring a friend as a consultant to the Criminal Justice Committee. During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $613,615. Resources like these are made possible by the generosity of our community of donors, foundations, and corporate partners. --progress-bar: #f0a236; Contact Information. position: absolute; legislatorID: 1521, 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. George Vachris advanced from the Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 1, 2022. .widget-row { Touting the campaign slogan Fix Houston, Whitmire discussed Houstons rising crime, fraying infrastructure, and need for transparency. The 11th-hour amendment made by Rep. Greg Bonnen currently allows 46 state employees in Texas, including the three . clearInterval(nTimer); 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. 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. Houston made national news this week following a, water treatment facility equipment failure. Whitmire, the longest running Texas senator, announced Wednesday that he will. [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: bold; And the real solution is, dont commit a crime and you stay at home and be cool. if (typeof $ != 'undefined') { .votebox-scroll-container { She received about 42 percent of the vote, giving the longtime Democrat his narrowest win since the early 1990s. Capitol Webmail . In 2020, a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development audit flagged Houstons slow pace in administering Hurricane Harvey recovery funds, prompting the. I want you to tell Houstonians that help is on the way.. font-weight: bold; We are not New York or Chicago. General District Capitol. 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 [14][3], Whitmire won re-nomination to Senate District 15 in the Democratic primary election held on March 4, 2014. } Incumbent John Whitmire defeated George Vachris in the general election for Texas State Senate District 15 on November 8, 2022. Everyone knows Commentary is working for the Whitmire Campaign. } [4], Under pressure from the Federal Courts, the 1971 legislature drew up Texas's first single-member district plan for the House of Representatives. } Meet John; Conoce a John; Contact Us; GET IN TOUCH. Whitmire graduated with a B.A. In the hotel's reception room, Whitmire's first words to . With almost a year to go until next years Nov. 7 election, Whitmire outlined his platform and kickstarted his campaign at Tuesdays fundraiser. Cities | Elections for 15 of the 31 seats in the Texas State Senate took place in 2014. I didnt want to take over either. currentSession: false linkColor: "#0b0080", .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper { Randy Orr advanced from the Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 6, 2018. } border-radius: 50%; width: 250px; 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. if (document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content64038e9c5b59e').classList.contains('leg-hnt-hide')) { Let the Houston Public Media newsroom help you start your day. [3] His father provided him a $5,000 loan for his campaign funds. display: none;

color:white !important; I want you to tell Houstonians that help is on the way.. [3] Whitmire remains the chair as of the Eighty-seventh Texas Legislature. .widget-row.Democratic { 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. Whitmire has. width: 100% !important; John Whitmire's 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. I love Houston, as so many of you do. font-weight: bold; .leg-hnt-flex-item { But how the mighty have fallen", "Democratic primary election returns, March 4, 2014 (Senate District 15)", "1992 Democratic Party Primary Runoff Election", Project Vote Smart - Senator John Whitmire (TX), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Whitmire&oldid=1136508454, This page was last edited on 30 January 2023, at 17:48. Campaign. .votebox-scroll-container { flex-wrap: wrap; In 2021, the Texas State Legislature was in session from January 12 to May 31. margin-bottom: .75em; 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. font-size: .9em; p.survey-question {font-weight:bold;} } "We're running for mayor and we intend to win," he. Source. .widget-row.value-only.black { font-size: 1.2em; State and local courts | In 2018, the Texas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. 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. "[11],

a[aria-expanded=true] .fa-chevron-right { display: none; } As the long-time chair of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, Whitmire said he would bring an understanding of the criminal justice system, work to provide more resources to the courts and forensic crime lab, and improve collaboration between the multiple law enforcement agencies in the region. } We're in the process of transitioning services for our Today in Houston newsletter. p.survey-response {white-space: pre-line;} } top: -5px; 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. Austin, TX, November 30, 2022 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 state's most populous city, unveiling his campaign slogan: "Fix Houston.". When you had a strong mayor form of government and when you are the mayor in this city, you run this city. John Whitmire Texas State Senate District 15 $9,503,981 Cash on Hand. .inner_percentage { A special session was held from July 18 to August 15. Pol. From Gulf Coast AFL-CIO in Houston Mayor's Race. In the Senate, Whitmire is best known for his work on criminal justice and public safety. Will the takeover be a sort of dictatorship? Campaign. .leg-hnt-district-container { } [6] He ran unopposed in the primary. State Sen. John Whitmire has identified as a Democrat for. This campaign finance report was filed by state Senator John Whitmire back on October 31, 2022, and shows state Senator John Whitmire with $9,503,981.46 in contributions in his campaign coffers . } We fix our problems.. John Whitmire ( Democratic Party) is a member of the Texas State Senate, representing District 15. A free bi-weekly commentary on current events by Konni Burton. John Whitmire is Candidate for State Senate, 15th District, 2022 Primary Election in Texas (TX). When you had a strong mayor form of government and when you are the mayor in this city, you run this city. Staff. text-align: left; During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $485,758. Ballotpedia features 395,557 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. justify-content: center; padding-bottom: 8px; break-inside: avoid-column; event.srcElement.innerText = '[show]'; rowCount: "25", Whitmire is thelongest-serving member of the Texas Senate. Prior to that, he served 10 years in the Texas House of Representatives. Whitmire, who has previously criticized local leadership over public safety issues, highlighted city and county struggles to manage the criminal justice system. .contact_entity {font-size: 1.0em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 0.5em;} Known as a can do public servant, John often says, "Houston is not New York or Chicago we areHouston. Elections in 2023 | 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. @media (max-width:600px) { Incumbent John Whitmire defeated Randy Orr and Gilberto Velasquez Jr. in the general election for Texas State Senate District 15 on November 6, 2018.