The battle to be the next mayor of Houston is headed to a runoff next month, NBC News projects, pitting Democratic state Sen. John Whitmire against Democratic U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee after neither candidate received a majority in the all-party primary.
A crowded field of candidates jumped into the race to succeed Mayor Sylvester Turner, a Democrat who was not allowed to run for a third term. But Whitmire and Jackson Lee separated themselves from the pack in the country’s fourth-largest city.
The first-round election comes just weeks after the leak of an audio clip allegedly of Jackson Lee spouting profanities to her staff.
Jackson Lee has expressed regret for the comments in the clip. In a debate on Oct. 31, she accused Whitmire of being behind the leak. “Clearly, that was a Whitmire operative who attempted to place that in the midst of the early vote,” she said.
Whitmire responded, “I have not said one negative word in this entire campaign about any of my opponents.”
Crime is at the forefront of voters’ minds and both candidates’ campaigns, as in many political races this year. Whitmire and Jackson Lee, who share a party and hold similar views on other political issues, have voiced different opinions about this one.
A shrinking Houston Police Department has raised questions about the future of Turner’s “One Safe Houston” anti-crime initiative. Whitmire supports bringing in state troopers for extra support.
“Their helicopters, their anti-gang task force, their forensics,” Whitmire said. “Their resources would be so valuable.”
Jackson Lee supports reassessing and reallocating the city budget to address and prevent crime.
“We make sure we overhaul unnecessary city expenses so we have the funds as we build up our revenue and make sure we have violence interruption programs,” she said.
Turner, who was first elected mayor in 2015, has not endorsed in the campaign.