Houston-area Democrats line up in competitive primary to succeed John Whitmire in the Senate
Whitmire held the Senate seat for four decades. Six Democrats are now competing for the seat in the upper chamber. Full Story
The latest John Whitmire news from The Texas Tribune.
Whitmire held the Senate seat for four decades. Six Democrats are now competing for the seat in the upper chamber. Full Story
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and incoming Houston Mayor John Whitmire, two veteran Democratic legislators, are trying to repair their cities’ fraught relationships with the state’s GOP leadership. Full Story
Whitmire defeated U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee to be the next mayor of Texas’ largest city and the fourth largest city in the U.S. Full Story
The two well-known Democrats led a crowded field, but neither captured a majority of the vote. The runoff will be Dec. 9. Full Story
Jackson Lee has sought to rally her party’s base, vowing to stand up to “MAGA Republicans.” Whitmire has relied on a more bipartisan coalition while also defending his Democratic credentials. Full Story
Jackson Lee is running for Houston mayor, and the recording of her expletive-laden rant toward an employee was sent from an anonymous email account to multiple news organizations, three days before the start of early voting. Full Story
State Sen. John Whitmire, first elected in 1982, and U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, in office since 1995, could be vacating seats that haven’t been open for decades. The election calendar, however, may bring a tough decision for one or both. Full Story
Stuck in committee, the test-strip legislation has support from Gov. Greg Abbott and bipartisan lawmakers, who see it as a way to save lives. Full Story
Facing a crowded field, Hollins, who served briefly as Harris County clerk in 2020, announced Thursday he will instead run to be Houston’s chief financial officer. Full Story
Two bills that advanced in House and Senate committees on Wednesday both exempt any lawmaker who has already taken advantage of the benefit. Full Story
A few of Texas’ most veteran lawmakers may have seen their part-time legislative compensation skyrocket from $7,200 to nearly $150,000 annually, thanks to a law passed quietly at the end of the 2021 legislative session. Full Story
Senators in the finance committee asked questions Monday about the pros and cons of basing the amount of money that schools get per student on enrollment instead of attendance. Districts say the change could mean millions in additional funding. Full Story
Conservative activists have pushed for legislative leaders to ban Democrats from leading committees. Full Story
Edwards joins a field that already includes two well-known names: veteran state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, and Chris Hollins, the former Harris County clerk who oversaw election changes in 2020 that became a lightning rod for Republicans. Full Story
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. Full Story
Multiple federal courts have found Texas' cash bail practices discriminatory against poor people. The governor has said his priority bill will instead focus on keeping "dangerous criminals" in jail before they're convicted. Full Story
The lawmakers said they are acting in response to the death of former Houston resident George Floyd. Full Story
The former vice president received big-name endorsements — including backing from former presidential candidates Beto O'Rourke, Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar — as he campaigned in Dallas and Houston on the eve of Super Tuesday. Full Story
The closures are expected in the coming months, as the state faces dangerous understaffing in its prisons. Full Story
Although there are fewer people in prison than there were a decade ago, costs have surged along with the share of inmates who are older — and sicker. Full Story