Two men in suits and ties are side by side.

Houston mayoral race presents a win-win situation   


By Johnny Trlica

Commentary: The leading candidates in next year’s presidential sweepstakes are two octogenarians, or close to it, that most Americans find are too old for the job. The current president, if he wins re-election would be 87 while the former president would be 83 when leaving office in 2029. 

According to a recent NBC News poll, 74 percent of registered voters say they have either major or moderate concerns that Biden, at age 80, doesn’t have the necessary mental and physical health to be president for a second term while 47 percent have the same concerns about Trump, at age 77, not having the necessary mental and physical health to be president for a second term. 

And 62 percent of voters have either major or moderate concerns about Trump facing different criminal and civil trials for alleged wrongdoing, including trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The former president faces 91 charges in his four criminal indictments. They include 44 federal charges and 47 state charges, all of them felonies. 

Another 60 percent have the same number of concerns about Biden’s possible awareness or involvement in the business dealings of his son, Hunter, including alleged financial wrongdoing and corruption. 

The two leading candidates in the Houston mayoral race are no spring chickens themselves, but unlike the presidential race, neither is facing criminal charges, as of today.  

If age is a determining factor to Bayou City voters, John Whitmire is 74 and Sheila Jackson Lee is 73, voters will need to look elsewhere. A recent poll from the University of Houston’s Hobby School showed Whitmire with 34 percent and Jackson Lee with 31 percent and most likely heading for a runoff. 

Age not being a factor, Houston’s LGBTQ+ community, unlike the prospective presidential choices, cannot go wrong with either candidate as both have a long history of being advocates on issues affecting our community.  

A strong case can be made for both likely runoff opponents.  

The case for John Whitmire 

Texas State Senator John Whitmire was an LGBTQ+ ally when being an LGBTQ+ ally wasn’t cool. The former brother-in-law to legendary Houston mayor Kathy Whitmire has marched in Pride parades, attended candlelight vigils for fallen LGBTQ+ victims of crime and been an outspoken advocate for drag and trans rights. 

Earlier this year while in the Texas Senate, Whitmire voted against Republican sponsored bills that call to: ban sexually explicit performances by drag queens and others in the presence of children, ban sex-changing drugs and “sex mutilation surgery†in children and require transgender student athletes to play against those of their biological sex. 

In April of this year, Whitmire voted against a bill that would repeal “woke diversity, equity and inclusion trainings†at state universities. 

Equality Texas said, Whitmire’s been in the legislature for 42 years and is still going strong. He’s exactly the type of elected official the LGBT community needs on our side.â€Â 

The case for Sheila Jackson Lee 

U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is seeking a return to her old stomping grounds, having served on the Houston City Council from 1990-1995. Since then, she has represented Texas’ 18th Congressional District in Washington. 

Always present at important LGBTQ+ events, Jackson Lee is endorsed for mayor by the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus. She pledged to the organization to pass an equal rights ordinance for the city and to hire a director of LGBTQ+ affairs for her cabinet, if she is elected mayor. 

During her time in Congress, Jackson Lee voted present on the Defense of Marriage Act. In 2009, she voted for the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a bill that expanded the federal hate crime law to cover crimes biased on the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity. In 2010, she voted for the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act. 

Jackson Lee has supported the Equality Act, a bill that would expand the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and has criticized Republican representatives who oppose the legislation on religious grounds. 

A split endorsement 

Houston’s LGBTQ+ community is in an enviable position. The two leading candidates in the mayoral race are strong proponents of equal rights for all marginalized communities and we cannot go wrong should either one become the next mayor.  

Both John Whitmire and Sheila Jackson Lee have decades long histories of serving the public. Age should never play a factor in deciding an election; the candidate’s ability to serve and their stance on the issues are what matters. 

Both Whitmire and Jackson Lee are qualified to lead the fourth largest city in the nation. Whitmire will have strong connections in Austin while Jackson Lee will have strong connections in Washington. Vote for either candidate on November 7. 

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent those of the MONTROSESTAR. Johnny Trlica is the editor of Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page and has been published in several newspapers and magazines. He grew up in Rosenberg, Texas, lived for over 30 years in the Montrose and now resides in Galveston, Texas. He may be contacted at HRHeditor@gmail.com.  

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