With the Houston mayoral race heating up, candidates State Sen. John Whitmire and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee faced off in a final debate at Texas Southern University. During this heated exchange, the two clashed on public safety issues and controversies from their past, as reported by the Houston Chronicle. Both contenders promised to retain current Police Chief Troy Finner, demonstrating their commitment to Houston's safety.
According to early voting, which runs through Tuesday, Dec. 5, these candidates are the last standing in a runoff scheduled for December 9. Whitmire holds a lead with 42.5% of the vote, with Jackson Lee trailing at 35.6%, as confirmed in an ABC13 report. The debate tackled topics ranging from crime rates to the city's finances, with a brief lighter moment when Whitmire assisted Jackson Lee with dropped papers, prompting laughter and the quip "Working together" from the congresswoman.
When the subject turned to funding police forces, Jackson Lee accused Whitmire of looking to Metro funds as a "cash cow" for crime-fighting tools. Whitmire, responding to Jackson Lee, stated, "This is too scary to politicize," emphasizing a high road in the debate while also affirming the importance of safety in the city, as the Houston Chronicle details. Whitmire also highlighted his desire for Finner to improve and take part in proactive crime prevention and recruitment efforts.
On her part, Jackson Lee spoke to her plan of enhancing and helping Chief Finner by providing resources for additional cadets and collaboration with the federal system to address violent criminals, as per her statements to ABC13. In a more personal reflection, Whitmire shared his perspective of service, seeing problems to fix rather than issues to personalize, while Jackson Lee noted her desire to literally fix leaks with her hands if possible.
The debate also served as a platform for each candidate to address past controversies spotlighted by recent Houston Chronicle articles concerning Whitmire's blending of personal business with lawmaking and Jackson Lee's management style. Whitmire defended his record and preparation for a full-time role as mayor without conflicts, while Jackson Lee dismissed the recollection of a harsh working environment, preferring to recall teamwork during Hurricane Harvey.
