On Tuesday, some voters in the Houston area living in Senate District 15 will determine whether Senator Molly Cook or State Rep. Jarvis Johnson is one step closer to permanently taking over Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s former Senate seat.
Neither Cook nor Johnson collected a majority vote in the March Democratic primary, with Johnson finishing ahead of Cook with 36.1 percent to Cook’s 20.6 percent. Despite Johnson’s lead heading into the runoff, Cook won against the state representative in a special election in early May to fulfill the remainder of Whitmire’s current term.
Cook will serve as senator of Senate District 15 until the end of December. Tuesday’s results will solidify who between Cook and Johnson will be the Democratic nominee to race against the sole Republican challenger, investor Joseph Trahan, in November’s general election.
The candidates share similar legislative priorities, including expanding Medicaid, reproductive healthcare access and public education funding. Cook has largely campaigned on her tenacity, expressing her unwillingness to back down from what she believes in. On the other hand, Johnson points to his ability to compromise to get the job done.
Cook became the first emergency room nurse to be elected to the Texas Senate in early May and the first LGBTQ+ member of the legislative body. Johnson has touted his experience through the campaign cycle, having served as a state representative since 2016 and as a Houston City council member before his time in the Texas House.
Throughout their respective bids to secure Whitmire’s long-held seat, tensions between the two candidates have increased as Cook and Johnson went back and forth at heated debates. Cook has called into question Johnson’s voting record and source of funding, while Johnson challenges Cook’s capability to serve in the Senate without the caliber of Johnson’s prior experience.
Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth said a voter’s address and which party’s primary they choose to vote in would indicate what contests appear on their ballot. Hudspeth reminded voters that they would have to cast ballots in the same primary they decided to participate in March.
If someone did not vote during the March primaries, they could choose to vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary runoffs.
“Today will determine, once again, the individuals who will be on the November general ballot on both party sides,” Hudspeth said.
All Harris County residents voting in the Democratic primary runoff will see three races, including Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector, Justice in the 14th Court of Appeals District and State Judicial District 486.
Democratic candidates Collector Desiree Broadnax and Annette Ramirez are vying to replace current Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Ann Harris Bennett, who is not seeking reelection. Velda Renita Faulkner and Jerry Zimmerer, as well as Vivian King and Gemayel Haynes, are competing to secure the Democratic nominations for the 14th Court of Appeals and District 486, respectively.
Some Democratic voters will choose who will represent Texas House District 139 and Texas House District 146 and who will serve as Harris County Constable Precinct 5. State Rep. Shawn Thierry has faced a rocky reelection bid against labor organizer Lauren Ashley Simmons.
Thierry has faced criticism from her party for past votes for anti-LGBTQ bills, including a vote in favor of passing Senate Bill 14, legislation that banned gender-affirming care for minors. Simmons has gained support through her advocacy work against the state takeover of Houston ISD and her outspoken opposition to HISD superintendent Mike Miles.
Some Harris County Republican voters have less to vote on, with only two contests on Tuesday’s primary runoff ballot. They will determine whether Kenneth Omoruyi or Caroline Kane and who between Christian Garcia and Alan Garcia will be the Republican nominees for Congressional District 7 and Congressional District 29, respectively.
According to Hudspeth, as of 10 a.m. on Tuesday, the county had processed over 3,000 voters at its 313 Election Day Vote centers. Over 30,400 voters had cast their ballots during the early voting period, with 60 percent opting to do so in-person and 40 percent by mail.
Hudspeth addressed weather concerns, saying that the county had preparations in place in the event of severe conditions. However, she added that operations were running smoothly, and election personnel planned to keep all vote centers open, barring a weather-prohibiting event.
“We ask you to get out to vote. To keep up the vote,” Hudspeth said. “We know it has been election after election, but this election is just as important as the rest.”
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
