} JOHN LISTON: WEEKLEY, RICHARD WELDON (DICK) UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON: display: inline-block; } "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. .widget-key { 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. In the hotel's reception room, Whitmire's first words to . Previously he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 through 1982. She received about 42 percent of the vote, giving the longtime Democrat his narrowest win since the early 1990s. State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told supporters on Wednesday he plans to run for mayor of Houston in 2023. } Campaign. 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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. He has spent his adult life working for Houstonians in our state's Capitol and now John is running for Houston Mayor. [3] He is married to Rebecca Dalby. He also referenced his history of working with both sides of the aisle and holding his committee chairmanship under Republican leadership. break-inside: avoid-column; font-weight: bold; He won in the general election on November 8, 2022. Houston Sen. John Whitmire (left) and local organizer Molly Cook (right) faced off in a primary this year to represent District 15. font-size: 20px; On June 10, 2003, the Tulia defendants were freed on bond as provided for in Senator Whitmire's legislation. Lucio Vasquez produces stories for Houston Public Media's daily radio newscast and writes stories for HoustonPublicMedia.org. HOUSTON The race for Houston mayor is starting to heat up as Sylvester Turner 's term limit ends next year. .votebox-scroll-container { margin-top: 0px; Will the takeover be a sort of dictatorship? 1327. "I will be tough but smart on crime, keep our economy growing and ensure city services are working for all Houstonians. Houston Public Media is supported with your gifts to the Houston Public Media Foundation and is licensed to the University of Houston. } 92 talking about this. } } Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. One of those senators is John Whitmire, a Democrat from Houston, and the longest-serving member of the Democratic caucus. 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. City officials waited nearly eight hours to notify the public, and never activated the emergency alert system until the notice was lifted Tuesday morning. .electionsectionheading { if (document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content64038e9c5b59e').classList.contains('leg-hnt-hide')) { [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. } Answer: Pro-choice. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law. John Harris Whitmire [1] is an American attorney and politician who is the longest-serving current member of the Texas State Senate. font-weight: 300; [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. } float: right; 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. } Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2002. 5:04 PM Dec 5, 2022 CST His tenure earns him the title of Dean of the Senate. background-color: grey; Ballotpedia features 395,557 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. font-size: 12px; font-size: .9em; } 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. } Whitmire's first mayoral campaign finance report, filed Tuesday, shows $1.1 million in new donations between his formal campaign launch in November and the end of the year. Then, donate to directly to his campaign. It is no different than running a huge company, Fertitta said. margin-bottom: 0; Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. display: inline-block; color: #6db24f; 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. The announcement confirmed a move that was rumored for months and made Whitmire the first candidate to publicly announce his intention to succeed Sylvester Turner as the mayor of the state's most populous city. .widget-row.value-only.black { CONTACT. He is a longtime ally of Houston and Harris Countys police union groups, which also are on the host committee for his kickoff fundraiser. .infobox {

} } John Whitmire did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey. His tenure earns him the title of Dean of the Senate. event.srcElement.innerText = '[hide]'; width: 250px; U.S. President | } width: 50%; } In 2014, the Texas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. text-align: center; Pol. text-align: center; } width: 35px !important; $('.hideResponses').show(); --title-background: #334aab; FOX 26's Gabby Hart spoke with local criminal defense attorney Price Brown about if the . color: black; We are not New York or Chicago. "We're running for mayor and we intend to win," he. -. .widget-row.heading { Fertitta previously attracted attention for contributing more than $100,000 to Donald Trumps re-election bid. 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. [1] His parents divorced when he was seven years old, and the family moved several times, facing difficult financial circumstances. Texas Senator John Whitmire announced he will be running for mayor in 2023, kicking. top: 0px; [6], Whitmire raised $1,072,000 while DeLaRosa raised $12,808.[7]. I can tell you this. He told the newspaper a public announcement will come later but "it's no secret" that he plans to run for mayor. p.survey-response {white-space: pre-line;} .outer_percentage { , and dysfunctional city services, and emphasized regional public safety challenges. .race_header.republican { Whitmire was not up for election to the Texas State Senate in 2008. 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. State Sen. John Whitmire speaks during a campaign rally last year in Houston. Join others and make your gift to Houston Public Media today. HOUSTON The race for Houston mayor is starting to heat up as Sylvester Turner's term limit ends next year. } [2][3][4][5], Whitmire won re-election in the 2012 election for Texas State Senate, District 15. Senator John Whitmire represents the 15th Senatorial District comprised of north Houston and parts of Harris County. width: 250px; When you had a strong mayor form of government and when you are the mayor in this city, you run this city. If John Whitmire is our mayor, that wouldnt have happened.. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton this year. If nominated, Sen. John Whitmire will face the sole Republican . The results have been certified. From Gulf Coast AFL-CIO in Houston Mayor's Race. It isn't Whitmire's first time preventing Democrats from breaking quorum, as he's previously undermined his colleagues' legislative strategies. line-height: 1.5em; Houston has term limits, and Turner's second and final term will end in January 2024. Show us with your support. Campaign Website. .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h3.votebox-header-office-name { 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. } 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. background-color: #f9f9f9; margin-top: 5px; height: 300, Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2006. When you had a strong mayor form of government and when you are the mayor in this city, you run this city. width: 500, Example video title will go here for this video. Issue Category Data Type $(".expand-all").on('click', () => { Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. John Whitmire | Houston TX

.cfheader { A special session was called for May 31 through June 29.[9]. Touting the campaign slogan Fix Houston, Whitmire discussed Houstons rising crime, fraying infrastructure, and need for transparency. In 2013, the Texas State Legislature was in its 83rd legislative session from January 8 through May 27. } Houstonians, who would you like in the middle of the night to call the governors office for whatever you need? asked Whitmire. 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. font-size: 90%; 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. font-weight: 300; font-weight: bold; .external_links_table { width: auto !important; } 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $481,540. --progress-bar: #f0a236; width: 43%; To see all bills sponsored by this person, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table. The lieutenant governor would usually ask Whitmire, who holds the honorary title of "dean of the Senate" as its longest-serving member, to adjourn the chamber's proceedings. box-sizing: border-box; position: absolute; font-weight: bold; var nTimer = setInterval(function() { Cook is the sole Democratic opponent for state Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston), incumbent for the safe blue Houston seat. width: 100% Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Let the Houston Public Media newsroom help you start your day. .cf_bp_logo {width: 35px !important;}. [6] He ran unopposed in the primary. John Whitmire announced today that former Houston Mayor Lee P. Brown has endorsed him in his campaign for mayor of the City of Houston. His old friends call him something else: "Boogie," a. .results_row.winner { During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $1,932,588. .cftable th { In the Senate, Whitmire is best known for his work on criminal justice and public safety. .race_header { Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2000. The sum makes him the overwhelming financial heavyweight in . display: inline-block; After she married, her husband's brother, John Whitmire, already a rising star in the Texas Democratic Party, was a willing political mentor. color: #fff; margin-bottom: 1px; .race_header, .results_text, .results_table_container, .votebox_legend { paid for by the John Whitmire Campaign. top: 2px; $('.hideResponses').on('click', () => { text-align: center; } When you look in this room tonight, you see Republicans and Democrats and you see the whole city of Houston, he said. 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. 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. width: 50%; ". div.oneoff-scrollbox.short { height:250px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } [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. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022. 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. Tilman Fertitta, billionaire investor and owner of the Houston Rockets basketball team, introduced Whitmire, and while not mentioning incumbent term-limited Mayor Sylvester Turner by name, referenced several controversies under Turners leadership. If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you. Known as a can do public servant, John often says, "Houston is not New York or Chicago we areHouston. My question is how long are we going to wait until they fix the schools in Northeast Houston? .cfheader.libertarian { (The Texan/Holly Hansen). Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Sims said Whitmires war chest gives him an edge, but one that is surmountable for the other candidates. .leg-hnt-title { .leg-hnt-border-top { margin: 5px auto; background-color: #db0000; } $('.pastResponses').show();

} .widget-value { } column-count: auto; } font-weight: bold; .results_table { border-top: 1px solid #aaa; Meet John; Conoce a John; Contact Us; GET IN TOUCH. John Whitmire will focus on better streets, improved drainage and reliable garbage pickup.. color: white; He joined the Hearst Austin bureau in 2021 after nearly three years as a City Hall reporter for the Chronicle and a prior stint covering Bexar County for the Express-News. Whitmire has. background-color: grey; His current term ends on January 14, 2025. background-color: #ccf; [10] Other honorees included Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue and Connecticut Representative Diana Urban. border:1px solid #FFB81F; How many generations of children do we have to lose, Dutton asks. .inner_percentage.Green { color:white; 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. John Whitmire, state senator and brother-in-law of former mayor Kathy Whitmire (Party affiliation: Democratic) . I want you to tell Houstonians that help is on the way.. display: inline; .leg-hnt-hide { We fix our problems.. He has spent his adult life working for Houstonians in our states Capitol and now John is running for Houston Mayor. float: left; During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $1,072,000. A special session was held from July 18 to August 15. The prisons are hot. [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. } 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. } Counties | } } word-wrap: break-word; [8] Two additional called sessions were held from July 1 through July 30 and July 30 through August 5.[9]. Get highlights, trending news, and behind-the-scenes insights from Houston Public Media delivered to your inbox each week. height: 56px; .widget-row.Libertarian { Previously he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 through 1982. I want you to tell the firemen and the policemen that help is on the way, said Whitmire. Theyre uncomfortable. There will be an anti-takeover event this afternoon at Discovery Green. "What I have discovered, it's not just homeless, illegal dumping and crosswalks, but our streets are in horrible conditions," Whitmire said. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislators political positions. As a former Houston city councilmember, I know city governments job is to provide core basic services, Rodriguez said. padding: 2px 0; overflow: hidden; color: #0645ad; Texas Senator John Whitmire announced he will be running for mayor in 2023, kicking off his campaign Wednesday. overflow-x: scroll; .race_footer { 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. He assumed office in 1983. They include State Sen. John Whitmire, former city councilmember Amanda Edwards, former county . ul.key-messages {list-style-type: none; margin-left:10px; } 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. .contact_office { margin-top: 0.3em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa; BACKGROUND: Ahead of mayoral bid, state Sen. John Whitmire faces unexpected test in Senate primary. $(".collapse-all").on('click', () => { Vote: John Whitmire voted . } legislatorID: 1521, 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. Data Explanation Editorial Lobbying Money Myths . }) padding:7px 8px 8px; .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. margin-bottom:16px; Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2010. .widget-row.Democratic { Prior to that, he served 10 years in the Texas House of Representatives. Addressing a bipartisan crowd of more than 600 at Houston's Post Oak Hotel, Whitmire said he had personally . top: -1px; Strong leadership and commitment to public service defines John Whitmire.

} Campaign Finance Terms How Lobbying Works Video Tutorials Refund Policy Articles. }, .leg-hnt-container { .inner_percentage, .inner_percentage.Nonpartisan, .inner_percentage.Independent, .inner_percentage.Constitution, .inner_percentage.unknown { margin-top: 1em; 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. tBackground: "#CCCCCC", [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. display: table; Source, tusa-race-stage-summary, tusa-person-summary, tusa-filing-dates { vertical-align: top; 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. } } Since 1983, he has represented District 15, which includes much of northern Houston, Texas. } list-style-type: circle; .top_disclaimer { [6] Whitmire captured the Senate District 15 seat, taking office in 1983. $626,696 Total Contributions. Whitmire, who has previously criticized local leadership over public safety issues, highlighted city and county struggles to manage the criminal justice system. background: #4c4c4c; font-size: .9em; .leg-hnt-section-title { color:white; } }. margin: 0px 10px; } Adv. 1255 - City becomes ducal residence of Upper Bavaria.

} 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. } John Whitmire's Biography . .large-date { text-align: center; margin-top: 30px; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600;} margin-bottom: 4px; .mw-content-ltr td.votebox-results-cell--text,

} } Whitmire has served in the Senate since 1983. .leg-hnt-flex-item { }

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. Let the Houston Public Media newsroom help you start your day. Strong leadership and commitment to public service defines John Whitmire. Senate seat will be on the ballot in 2032, and the next Governor's race would be in 2034. left: 0px; .mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. I can tell you this, if John Whitmire is our mayor, that wouldnt have happened.. He has served in the upper chamber since 1982. } Whitmire was not available for comment Thursday afternoon. overflow-x: auto;

float:right; [8], Senator Whitmire passed legislation to free the Texans who were imprisoned as a result of the Tulia drug raid. 		background-color: #f4f4f4; 		column-rule: 1px solid #aaa; In 2020, the Texas State Legislature was not in session. Capitol Webmail . Thirty minutes after the regular session ended, Governor Rick Perry called legislators back for a special session starting that evening. The event comes roughly a year after Whitmire told supporters at a campaign rally that he planned to run for mayor. 	text-align:center;    --link-color: #337ab7; })(); See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection. 	} 	.mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { background-color: white; 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. Whitmire was assigned to the following committees: .subcommittee { 				max-height: 580px; 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.