John Whitmire, a Democratic state senator, has been elected as the next mayor of Houston, defeating U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee in a runoff election. Whitmire, who has represented the city for 50 years, campaigned on reducing crime, improving infrastructure, and fostering unity. He outspent Jackson Lee, who was aiming to become Houston's first Black female mayor. The congresswoman's campaign was also affected by the release of an unverified audio recording in which she allegedly berated staff. Both candidates emphasized their extensive political experience and the challenges facing the city, including crime, infrastructure, and budget issues. Whitmire, at 74 years old, will be the oldest mayor of a major U.S. city. Houston, known as the energy capital of the world, is working towards cleaner energy and faces issues such as affordable housing and income inequality.
Meanwhile, in Oakland, California, Mayor Sheng Thao is facing controversy after an FBI raid on her home. Thao, who is of Hmong descent and took office in 2023, has stated that she did nothing wrong and has no plans to resign from office. The raid came shortly after backers of a mayoral recall were informed that they had collected enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Thao's critics claim that public safety and economic vitality have worsened under her leadership and that she should not have fired Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong. Cynthia Adams, president of the Oakland chapter of the NAACP, expressed concern about the lack of support for the mayor from other city officials. The FBI also searched two homes owned by the Duong family, who owns the recycling company Cal Waste Solutions, which has been investigated for campaign contributions to Thao and other city officials.
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