“Winning a Texas Senate seat is a big deal, and it tastes extra sweet because it is born of sheer grit, determination, and teamwork,”
Texas Tribune: Molly Cook holds on to Houston-based Texas Senate seat in Democratic primary runoff
State Sen. Molly Cook appears to have narrowly defeated state Rep. Jarvis Johnson in the Senate District 15 primary runoff for the second time this month, setting the stage for her to hold on to Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s longtime seat in the upper chamber.
Cook led Johnson by 74 votes, with all precincts reporting according to unofficial results — well within the margin for a recount. The total also does not count late-arriving mail-in ballots.
Cook’s victory marked the second time she has defeated Johnson this month. Cook beat Johnson 57% to 43% on May 4 in a special election triggered when Whitmire resigned to step into the mayor’s office at the start of the year. She was sworn in on May 16 to serve out the term, through the end of the year. Now, Cook will appear on the November ballot for a chance to win a full term representing a diverse cut of Harris County.
Cook declared victory Wednesday afternoon in a statement that called back to her road to the Senate. She first ran for the seat in 2022, when she attempted a primary challenge against Whitmire.
“Winning a Texas Senate seat is a big deal, and it tastes extra sweet because it is born of sheer grit, determination, and teamwork,” Cook said. “We have organized for years, stayed true to our values, and built momentum that extends beyond this election.”
Johnson has not conceded, citing the outstanding mail-in and provisional ballots. In a statement on Wednesday, he said he was in conversations with his legal and political teams.
“Because the margin in this race is so small, we need to ensure that each and every ballot is included in the final count,” Johnson said. “Our goal is not to further delay the official results, we are allowing the behind-the-scenes process to run its course.”
Cook is the first person other than Whitmire to hold the seat since 1983. She is an emergency room nurse and community organizer who is the first openly LGBTQ+ member to serve in the Texas Senate.
“We need a leader and legislator in that seat who understands the value and importance of grassroots organizing, and is willing to use their significant platform and service to feed those movements”
Emergency room nurse Molly Cook will serve out the remaining months of John Whitmire’s term in the Texas Senate after defeating state Rep. Jarvis Johnson in a special election Saturday, according to unofficial returns.
With all precincts reporting, Cook led with 57% to Johnson’s 43%. She declared victory in a statement shortly after 10 p.m.
The win means Cook will represent Senate District 15 through the end of the year, making her the first person other than Whitmire to hold the seat since 1983. The post has been vacant since January, when Whitmire resigned to be sworn in as Houston mayor.
The outcome marked a sharp reversal from the March 5 primary, in which Johnson, Cook and four other Democrats squared off for a full term that will start when the Legislature reconvenes for its next regular session in January 2025.
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Cook, a community organizer who challenged Whitmire for the Senate seat in 2022, said it was “the honor of my life that the people of District 15 have chosen me as their next State Senator.”
“With the May 28th runoff election fast approaching, our work continues,” Cook said. “As we’ve done twice already, my campaign is prepared to knock on every door, talk to every voter, and reach every corner of District 15.”
Cook, who came out as bisexual in 2021, will be the first out member of the LGBTQ+ community to serve in the upper chamber, her campaign noted in a press release.
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Cook said she would look to boost the types of grassroots movements she has helped organize in recent years, such as opposing the state’s massive plan to expand Interstate 45 and passing a city ballot referendum aimed at strengthening Houston’s representation on a regional group that distributes federal funds.
“We need a leader and legislator in that seat who understands the value and importance of grassroots organizing, and is willing to use their significant platform and service to feed those movements,” Cook said. “The more and more institutional support that I have, the more support that I can lend to the folks on the ground doing this work.”
“I am talking to voters for hours and hours a day, and the data looks good, the response is enthusiastic.”
Texas Tribune: Two Houston Democrats face off in back-to-back elections for John Whitmire’s open state Senate seat
“I am talking to voters for hours and hours a day, and the data looks good, the response is enthusiastic, and I think that really came through in our fundraising reports,” she said.