December 10th 2023.
In November, the Houston mayoral race between Sheila Jackson Lee and John Whitmire advanced to a runoff. Despite the efforts of outgoing Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo to rally support for Jackson Lee, Whitmire emerged victorious on December 9.
The Associated Press declared Whitmire the winner with 57 percent of the votes counted, leading Jackson Lee by an almost 2-to-1 margin. The momentum of Whitmire's campaign was in part due to his ability to outspend Jackson Lee as well as his messages around expanding funding for the city's police force. He was able to secure endorsements from Houston's fire department and police unions, likely earning him some political cache with moderate Republican voters.
Unfortunately for Jackson Lee, her candidacy seemingly never recovered from the bombshell recording that appeared to depict her berating a staffer. This, coupled with the younger population's disappointment and frustration towards having to choose between two 70-year-old career politicians, proved to be too much for her campaign to overcome.
In her concession speech, Jackson Lee was gracious and thankful for her supporters. She has yet to announce if she will seek reelection for her congressional seat, but the deadline to file in order to be eligible to run in 2024 is December 11.
The Houston mayoral race serves as a reminder to us all of the importance of voting. This is especially true ahead of the upcoming presidential election in November 2024. It is imperative that we exercise our right to vote in order to have our voices heard and to make a positive impact in our communities.
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