(Texas Scorecard) – A group of Harris County Democrats is pushing to formally admonish Houston Mayor John Whitmire for his plans to attend an event for Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw.
The move, led by roughly 30 Democrat precinct and congressional chairs, accuses Whitmire of betraying the party’s core values and seeks to block him from earning the party’s endorsement in future elections.
At the heart of the dispute is Whitmire’s willingness to reach across the aisle, a quality that has earned him both praise and sharp criticism since taking office.
The proposed resolution, which still has to clear the party’s resolutions committee before facing a full vote, carries no legal weight but would publicly chastise the mayor.
For now, the push to censure the mayor is largely symbolic.
Democrat Party rules prohibit precinct chairs from supporting or fundraising for candidates from opposing parties. The resolution’s backers argue that Whitmire should be held to the same standard.
In a pointed statement, the group reportedly slammed Whitmire’s agenda as “indistinguishable from that of a MAGA mayor” and accused him of abandoning progressive principles.
However, mayors of large cities often forge partnerships across party lines, especially when dealing with local issues like public safety, infrastructure, and disaster recovery.
Whitmire’s office told Texas Scorecard that the mayor has a long history of working across the aisle.
Mary Benton, Chief of Communications for Whitmire, wrote, “Mayor Whitmire has consistently demonstrated he will work with anyone in the best interest of the City of Houston to get projects done for Houstonians.”
“He is proud of his record in the Texas Legislature, where he built relationships and earned a reputation for working across the aisle to benefit Houstonians. Nothing has changed. He maintains the same work ethic as the mayor of Houston,” Benton added.