font-size:1.2em; } .leg-hnt-flex-column { .infobox { color: black; } } position: absolute; "I'm John Whitmire, a public servant, and I go where I'm called. $('.collapse').collapse('show'); John Whitmire speaking at his mayoral announcement. } background-color: #6db24f; 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. } Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton this year. It isn't Whitmire's first time preventing Democrats from breaking quorum, as he's previously undermined his colleagues' legislative strategies. Staff. tForeground: "#444444", Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. } overflow-x: auto; } font-size: 12px; 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. height: 50px; With all voting centers reporting, John Whitmire has won the Democratic primary for Texas Senate District 15 with 57.5% of the vote, or 24,724 votes. 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. John Whitmire announced today that former Houston Mayor Lee P. Brown has endorsed him in his campaign for mayor of the City of Houston. } } In 2020, the Texas State Legislature was not in session. 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. One could mount a statewide campaign while . Lt. Gov. He is a longtime ally of Houston and Harris Countys police union groups, which also are on the host committee for his kickoff fundraiser. It is no different than running a huge company, said Fertitta. The idea that we are losing control of our schools is undemocratic if you ask Commentary. display: table; .election_results_text { } .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper { City term limit rules prevent Mayor Turner from seeking a third term after his current stint ends in January 2024. 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. margin-bottom: 0; } height: 56px; padding:7px 8px 8px; .indicate_scroll { that forced the city to implement a boil water notice, keeping businesses and schools closed for two days. --subtitle-background: #334aab; 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. text-align: center; } He was elected to the Texas Senate in 1982 after serving 10 years in the Texas House of Representatives. [11] Heat has killed numerous prisoners and cost Texas taxpayers million of dollars in wrongful death suits brought by victims' families. 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. } font-size: 12px; column-gap: 1em; John Whitmire Campaign (State Cmte) Johnson Victory PAC (State Cmte) Johnson for Congress: Joseph Sanchez for New Mexico (State Cmte) Josh Hawley for Senate: Juan J. Chuy Hinojosa Campaign (State Cmte) Kaptur for Congress: Karlins, Michael J. Kay Ivey for Governor, Inc. Keel, Thornton J. .inner_percentage { I want you to tell Houstonians that help is on the way.. Lucio Vasquez produces stories for Houston Public Media's daily radio newscast and writes stories for HoustonPublicMedia.org. flex-wrap: wrap; Office. [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. State Sen. John Whitmire, the longest-tenured member of the Texas Senate, launched his campaign for Houston mayor on Tuesday. background-color: green; border: 1px solid #aaa; Capitol Webmail Capitol Website More Office Contactskeyboard . [14][3], Whitmire won re-nomination to Senate District 15 in the Democratic primary election held on March 4, 2014. float: right; width: 50%; color: #888; --progress-bar: #f0a236; left: 0; "He was always someone I could . 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. Whitmire was not available for comment Thursday afternoon. width: 35px !important; display: inline; 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. } 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. Resources like these are made possible by the generosity of our community of donors, foundations, and corporate partners. Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. } .inner_percentage.Libertarian { BT50.Widget({ } After she married, her husband's brother, John Whitmire, already a rising star in the Texas Democratic Party, was a willing political mentor. font-weight: bold; Federal courts | In the hotel's reception room, Whitmire's first words to . } 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. background-color: black !important; if (document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content64038e9c5b59e').classList.contains('leg-hnt-hide')) { State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told supporters on Wednesday he plans to run for mayor of Houston in 2023. **Please note** If you are already signed up for the newsletter, you do not need to sign up again. My question is how long are we going to wait until they fix the schools in Northeast Houston? 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. a.communitylink { color:black; font-weight:bold; } The 11th-hour amendment made by Rep. Greg Bonnen currently allows 46 state employees in Texas, including the three . 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. .expand-all:hover, .collapse-all:hover {cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;} 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. [1] His parents divorced when he was seven years old, and the family moved several times, facing difficult financial circumstances. Holly Hansen is a regional reporter for The Texan living in Harris County. State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told supporters on Wednesday he plans to run for mayor of Houston in 2023. .cftable th { clear: both; $('#candidate-connection-email-104978').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-email'); }); Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2010. flex: 0 0 175px; With an $11 million warchest and thousands of. He did not graduate, as state law at the time allowed legislators entrance to the bar without a full J.D. He also contributed $2,800 to Joe Bidens campaign in 2020. Whitmire ( Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Texas State Senate to represent District 15. .infobox p { In 2014, the Texas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. .leg-hnt-title { margin-bottom: -2px !important; In 2021, the Texas State Legislature was in session from January 12 to May 31. .votebox-results-cell--number { color:white; ". max-height: 580px; } width: 350px; font-size: .9em; [3], Whitmire served in the Texas House with colleagues Gene Green, Craig Washington and Mickey Leland and eventually finished his undergraduate degree. box-sizing: border-box; .external_links_table { width: auto !important; } } As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. His old friends call him something else: "Boogie," a. border-bottom: 1px solid grey; If youd like to become one of the people were financially accountable to, click here to subscribe. font-size: 1.25em; The top contenders have raised $5.5 million, with another full year of fundraising ahead of them. , and dysfunctional city services, and emphasized regional public safety challenges. He is the Dean. break-inside: avoid-column; 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. padding-bottom: 8px; width: 50%; Whitmire, who has previously criticized local leadership over public safety issues, highlighted city and county struggles to manage the criminal justice system. Prior to his election to the state senate, Whitmire was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 to 1982.[1]. position: relative; Biography In addition to being a senator, Whitmire is also an attorney of counsel at Locke, Liddell and Sapp. During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $1,137,788. }. display: inline-block; . His current term ends on January 14, 2025. 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. "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. A primary election took place on March 4, 2014. Contributions maintained by the Whitmire Campaign at the end of the year total $10,100,086. PO BOX 7271 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 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. How to vote | .non_result_row div { font-size: 12px;
His current term ends on January 14, 2025. } In addition to a fundraising advantage, Whitmire although a staunch Democrat appears to be drawing support from both sides of the political aisle. margin: 5px auto; 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. Senate seat will be on the ballot in 2032, and the next Governor's race would be in 2034. background-color: #003388; } Previously he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 through 1982. 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. .race_header.democratic { As we head into the weekend, folks are wondering what a TEA takeover of HISD looks like. letter-spacing: .03em; [4], Under pressure from the Federal Courts, the 1971 legislature drew up Texas's first single-member district plan for the House of Representatives. column-width: 175px; During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $970,826. Next week, they will likely be the former Board officers. } document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content64038e9c5b59e').classList.remove('leg-hnt-hide'); Whitmire is thelongest-serving member of the Texas Senate. John Whitmire | Houston TX .contact_entity {font-size: 1.0em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 0.5em;} .mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { .inner_percentage.Democratic { .outer_percentage { Incumbent John Whitmire defeated Randy Orr and Gilberto Velasquez Jr. in the general election for Texas State Senate District 15 on November 6, 2018. of the recovery and rebuild efforts to the Texas General Land Office. [1] [2] 1175 - Munich gains official status as city. I want you to tell the firemen and the policemen that help is on the way, said Whitmire. 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. Public policy. color:white !important; }. var nTimer = setInterval(function() { HOUSTON The race for Houston mayor is starting to heat up as Sylvester Turner's term limit ends next year. 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. } .contact_office { margin-top: 0.3em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} -John Whitmire. He has spent his adult life working for Houstonians in our state's Capitol and now John is running for Houston Mayor. color: #6db24f; .votebox-results-metadata-p { position: relative; John Whitmire is Candidate for State Senate, 15th District, 2022 Primary Election in Texas (TX). Join others and make your gift to Houston Public Media today. Incumbents are bolded and underlined. .widget-row.Libertarian { margin-top: 1px; 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. border: 1px solid #999; Strong leadership and commitment to public service defines John Whitmire. mail Email. In 2020, a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development audit flagged Houstons slow pace in administering Hurricane Harvey recovery funds, prompting the federal agency to shift control of the recovery and rebuild efforts to the Texas General Land Office. Whitmire won re-election to the Texas State Senate in 2014. .percentage_number { From improving public safety by being tough but smart on crime to promoting economic development, especially small businesses, to making City . 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. background-color: #db0000 !important; .cfheader.libertarian { The two candidates participated in a virtual discussion on Tuesday night where Whitmire touted his seniority and experience while Cook billed herself as a more progressive grassroots alternative. .inner_percentage, .inner_percentage.Nonpartisan, .inner_percentage.Independent, .inner_percentage.Constitution, .inner_percentage.unknown { 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. State executives | This membership information was last updated in March 2021. overflow: hidden; The measure died after nearly every Democrat in the House voted against it, denying the two-thirds support needed to pass. He assumed office in 1983. [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. Mealer donors serving on the host committee for Tuesdays fundraiser include Fertitta, Gallery Furniture owner Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale, real estate developer Richard Weekley, Fidelis Realty Partners CEO Alan Hassenflu and Houston beer distributor John Nau, among others. .votebox-scroll-container { mail Email. He has an $11 million campaign war chest,. }) Whitmire (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Texas State Senate to represent District 15. Office. } He ultimately returned to the legislature, creating a quorum and undoing the efforts of the rest of the Texas Eleven. box-sizing: border-box; .mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { font-size: 0.9em; .results_table { At the Capitol, Whitmire is the dean of the Senate where he took office in 1983 the title reserved for its longest-serving member. } padding-top: 8px; } Should the firefighters prevail, the city may owe back wages topping $1 billion according to some estimates. In 2022, the Texas State Legislature was not in session. 1239 - Coat of arms of Munich in use. background-color: #003388; Kathy Whitmire's exposure to and interest in city politics began in her parents' home. With 152,728 votes (65.2 percent), he defeated the Republican candidate, Randy Orr, who polled 75,423 (32.2 percent). color: white; document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content64038e9c5b59e').classList.add('leg-hnt-hide'); } "I'm . .leg-hnt-hide { 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. We're in the process of transitioning services for our Today in Houston newsletter. column-rule: 1px solid #aaa; .results_table_container { It is Ballotpedias goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number. 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. Capitol Webmail . } 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. Thirty minutes after the regular session ended, Governor Rick Perry called legislators back for a special session starting that evening. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law. } .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h5.votebox-header-election-type { 1240 - Otto II Wittelsbach in power. General District Capitol. Data Explanation Editorial Lobbying Money Myths . During that election cycle, Whitmire raised a total of $613,615. John Whitmire's Political Summary Office: State Senate (TX) - District 15, Democratic Track This Politician Contact Information Campaign Campaign Webmail Campaign Website Office General District Capitol mail Email Capitol Webmail Capitol Website More Office Contacts keyboard_arrow_down perm_identity Who exactly is Whitmire? Elections for 15 of the 31 seats in the Texas State Senate took place in 2014. If nominated, Sen. John Whitmire will face the sole Republican . } We are not New York or Chicago. margin: 8px auto; .leg-hnt-border-top { Whitmire's track record as a. We're in the process of transitioning services for our Today in Houston newsletter. 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. } .non_result_row th { Ballotpedia completes yearly updates of committee membership. margin-top: 5px; 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. @media screen and (max-width: 350px) { The billionaire also faulted Mayor Sylvester Turner for not taking a stronger stance to represent the citys interest. He also served as the Acting Governor of Texas in 1993[2] as part of the Governor for A Day tradition. } } Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer. max-width: 75px; .race_header.republican { z-index:1; 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. } "We want to see somebody that can have a true impact on the city. } [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. [3], In 1982, Senator Jack Ogg vacated his seat to pursue the Attorney General position. Pol. currentSession: false text-align:center; A special session was called for May 31 through June 29.[9]. .results_row td { @media (max-width:600px) { letter-spacing: 0.03em; Let the Houston Public Media newsroom help you start your day. }) overflow-y: hidden; They include State Sen. John Whitmire, former city councilmember Amanda Edwards, former county .