A wave of disappointment is surging among Harris County Democrats regarding Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s performance. However, the potential impact of their activism on the mayor’s re-election chances in 2027 remains uncertain.
Democratic leaders have expressed their discontent through concern over Whitmire’s connections to a Republican fundraiser, his perceived support for Trump-era immigration policies, and a city budget that prioritized police funding while cutting other services.
At a press conference on June 22, Democratic Party precinct chairs declared their intent to move forward with an admonishment of the mayor. This symbolic gesture means they intend to no longer recognize him as a member of their party. Although Houston mayoral and City Council positions are officially nonpartisan, Whitmire has a long history as a Democrat in Texas politics, having served in the legislature for five decades.
The process for an admonishment is lengthy, involving reviews by the party’s resolutions and steering committees before a vote occurs in the County Executive Committee. Party officials have indicated this vote likely won’t happen until late September.
Mike Doyle, chair of the Harris County Democratic Party, described the admonishment as an “expression of disapproval.”
If enacted, this would mark the first time Harris County Democrats have admonished a Houston mayor. Despite its symbolic nature, such a move could carry significant weight. According to party leaders, the Democrats’ 2023 admonishment of former District Attorney Kim Ogg likely played a role in her defeat by Sean Teare in last year’s primary.
Doyle commented, “There’s no doubt that the attention paid to it, the discussions it caused, her statements about it, the brouhaha overall, in retrospect, was kind of anticipatory of where she’s at right now.” Ogg has not officially switched parties but has publicly expressed a desire to filter out Democrats from Harris County’s public offices and appears to be eyeing a potential Trump appointment as a U.S. attorney.
Whitmire’s office has not responded to requests for comment concerning these developments.
Leading the charge for Whitmire’s removal from the party is Precinct Chair Cameron “Coach Cam” Campbell, a former University of Houston football standout. Campbell emphasized that teamwork doesn’t require friendship; it requires aligning goals. He stated, “What makes a teammate a teammate is sitting in the boat and rowing in the same direction. Anybody in the boat not rowing in the same direction is not a teammate, and that’s why we’re having this conversation.”
In the 2023 mayoral runoff, Whitmire triumphed over Sheila Jackson Lee, who was endorsed by his predecessor, former Mayor Sylvester Turner. Whitmire has indicated a desire to serve two terms, publicly stating, “it will take eight years to fix Houston.” However, amidst calls for his removal, conversations about potential alternatives for the 2027 election are beginning.
One name bandied about at the June 22 press conference is Houston Controller Chris Hollins. Hollins previously ran against Whitmire in 2023 but suspended his campaign when Jackson Lee entered the race.
There is speculation that Edward Pollard, a current member of the Houston City Council representing District J, may also consider a run. Pollard recently held a fundraiser and is reported to have about $400,000 in his campaign account. As the deadline for campaign finance reports approaches on July 15, it may provide further indicators of who might enter the race. However, it remains early, and Pollard could be eyeing other offices instead.
According to reports, Whitmire raised at least $7 million for his mayoral campaign in 2023.
As of June 30, 2025, a spokesman for Pollard’s campaign clarified that he has now raised over $1 million.
Whitmire’s victory over Jackson Lee, who had strong backing within the Black community, has fueled tensions between him and some Black voters. Some have even dubbed him “White mire.”
Doris Brown, co-director of the nonprofit disaster preparedness group West Street Recovery, expressed frustration with Whitmire’s leadership style. She remarked, “A lot of things he does are not transparent, like a thief in the night. He came in and changed things. He’s a bully. He’s ‘walk away Whitmire.’ Sometimes when we come to talk [during a City Council public comment session], he gets up and leaves. It’s disrespectful.”
Houston operates a strong mayor form of government, differentiating it from other Texas cities like Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio. This structure enables the mayor to propose budgets and manage department heads directly.
In his initial 100 days in office, Whitmire appointed seven new department directors. By last summer, over a dozen senior officials and department heads had left his administration. Critics argue the new appointees, such as Finance Director Melissa Dubowski and Airport Director Jim Szczesniak, are merely “yes men and women” selected to support the mayor’s agenda.
Yet, Mayor Whitmire’s tenure has also seen considerable successes, according to Nancy Sims, a political science lecturer at the University of Houston.
“Whitmire is a really popular mayor,” Sims stated. “There are factions of the community that are upset with him about bike paths and traffic and METRO. There are certainly pockets of voters who are upset with him, but for the most part, I think the general attitude of the Houston voter is that he’s doing a good job.”
Sims further noted, “I don’t think the Democratic clubs passing these resolutions will have a significant impact on him.”
Dubbed “Mr. Fix It” by some, Whitmire is credited with managing complicated police and fire contracts and advocating for legislative funding to develop a $4.2 billion East Water Purification Plant.
“He wants to fix what’s wrong and get it done,” Sims commented. “A lot of people are unhappy with the long-term financial ramifications of [the police and fire] contracts, but at the same time, he stopped both departments from bleeding personnel. He said public safety was his No. 1 priority and he got in there; the contract had been up in the air for 10 years with the firefighters, and he fixed it. Same with the police contract.”
Sims acknowledged that while these agreements may extend the city’s debt, they have ensured competitive salaries for police and fire personnel, preventing a loss of trained staff.
Whitmire has addressed some of the concerns raised by the Democratic party during a Tejano Democrats meeting in May. He defended his choice to attend the fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Republican, stating his goal is to nurture bipartisan relationships with key lawmakers who can secure federal funding for Houston projects.
At the time, Whitmire remarked, “Nothing has changed in my values and who I am. I have to work with people to get things done. It has nothing to do with agreeing with [Crenshaw] on much of his philosophy. It has to do with looking out for Houstonians.”
He elaborated on the city’s pressing challenges, citing, “We’re underfunded, our infrastructure is broken, but more important is our water supply. It’s very fragile.”
Campbell argued, however, that Whitmire’s involvement in the Crenshaw fundraiser signified a betrayal of party loyalty and shared values.
“Let’s be crystal clear,” Campbell articulated, “The most important thing in politics is votes. The second most important thing in politics is money because you take that money to go engage with folks and get them to come out and vote. For every dollar that was raised for Dan Crenshaw, and Whitmire had a part in it, was a dollar against Democrats.”
The Houston Progressive Caucus has also criticized Whitmire’s appearance at the Crenshaw fundraiser. This group aims to “win elections, build working-class power, and steer the Democratic Party back toward the values of opportunity and justice for working-class Texans.”
In an April statement, they asserted, “Whitmire’s fundraiser for Crenshaw is an endorsement of his policy priorities. There are over a million Houstonians on Medicaid, and Crenshaw has and is voting to defund it by over $880 billion. That, the tariffs, the DOGE cuts, and much more will devastate the city’s finances.”
Sims highlighted that Whitmire’s actions stem from his desire to find solutions. “I feel like he just walks around with his pliers in his pocket, like, how can I fix it?” she reflected. “It’s like, I need federal money to build my water plant. Let me go talk to the Republicans. How are you going to get it without talking to the Republicans?”
Regarding allegations of the mayor’s collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportations, Whitmire maintains he is adhering to the law. City officials confirm that any interaction with a person possessing an active ICE warrant necessitates informing the agency.
Whitmer stated, “The City of Houston is not ICE or focused on immigration enforcement but will hold all violent offenders accountable regardless of their immigration status.”
Concerns have been raised in the immigrant community surrounding reports of a woman being referred to ICE after seeking police assistance for domestic violence. Many have expressed fears that this may deter undocumented individuals from reporting crimes, even when they are not directly involved.
On the topic of the contentious $7 billion city budget, Whitmire remarked, “There is no such thing as a perfect budget. It’s so easy to be against something, particularly when you don’t have to offer up any solutions. Anyone can be a critic and politicize a budget or any other actions we take.”
He further asserted, “I’m proud of the budget. We were told we couldn’t do it, we couldn’t balance it, by political critics. We ignored and went forward. We have a lot of work to do. This is a giant step, but we need to now talk to Houstonians, going forward, about what type of city they want to live in.”
Dr. Audrey Nath, a neurologist, expressed concerns during the recent press conference regarding a proposed $2 million cut to the Houston Health Department budget.
Nath highlighted, “Normally the Houston Health Department receives about half of its funding from federal sources but these have already been slashed, so the Houston Health Department has already had to deal with layoffs and cut hours.”
Due to budget cuts, the health department plans to reduce essential services, including its mobile vaccination unit and HIV prevention and treatment programs.
Jake Ortiz, injured in a cycling accident following Whitmire’s abrupt adjustments to Austin Street bike lanes, lamented that the mayor’s decisions have “real-life consequences for the people who are in the communities that [he] is supposed to serve and lead.”
Currently, nearly 50 elected precinct chairs have endorsed a resolution to admonish Whitmire. Given that the party comprises about 591 precinct chairs, they will ultimately vote on the admonishment in the fall. At that time, Whitmire and his supporters will be permitted to present their case before the executive committee takes a final vote.
Doyle, who is also the presiding officer of the Harris County Democratic Executive Committee, noted that he must abstain from commenting on the admonishment process. Nonetheless, he expressed personal disappointment over the mayor’s attendance at the Crenshaw fundraiser.
“That’s not something I would ever see in someone who is supporting Democratic values,” Doyle remarked. “Helping raise money for people who support Trump’s agenda, lockstep, is never a good look. I think that kind of stuff concerns people. There’s a lot of public concern.”
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