Democrat Molly Cook Wins Special Election for Texas State Senate District 15
The special election was called after State Senator John Whitmire (D) was elected Mayor of Houston, Texas.
The special election occurred today to fill a vacancy in the Texas State Senate. This is the first special election in 2024 for the state’s upper legislative chamber. With only two candidates on the ballot, the winner will achieve a majority of the vote today and be sworn into office later this month.
The special election for Texas State Senate District 15 was called after the resignation of State Senator John Whitmire, a Democrat, upon being elected Mayor of Houston. He represented this district from January 1983 to December 2023.
Democrat Molly Cook has been declared the winner of the special election. The race was called in her favor as she’s currently leading with 57.2% against Democrat Jarvis Johnson with 42.8%. 16,300 votes have been counted.
Cook is an emergency room nurse who previously sought the Democratic nomination for State Senate District 15 in 2022 - holding Whitmire to a 58.4-41.6 primary victory.
Johnson previously represented District B on the Houston City Council from January 2006 to January 2012. He currently serves District 139 in the Texas House of Representatives since May 2016.
Texas State Senate District 15 covers parts of Harris County - taking in the northern and western neighborhoods of Houston.
Once Cook is sworn in, the Texas State Senate will feature 19 Republicans and 12 Democrats. The chamber has no additional vacancies. Moreover, 15 of the 31 State Senate districts are up for four-year terms this fall. In District 15, Cook and Johnson advanced to a runoff for the Democratic nomination scheduled for May 28, 2024. The winner will face Republican Joseph Trahan in the general election.