Campaign #185 is for Mayor Sylvester Turner and Janaeya Carmouche in TX
What? Runoff Election
When? Saturday, December 14
Who? Democrats Janaeya Carmouche and Mayor Sylvester Turner
For? City Council
Why? To put experienced progressives at the front of the fight.
How? Be a voter!
The future makeup of Houston City Council will largely be decided next month, following an election in which all but four candidates failed to win a majority of votes in their respective races. Candidates who did not receive 50% plus one vote during the first round will face their nearest competition during the runoff election Dec. 14. All told, there were more than 100 candidates vying for council’s 16 spots, including eight incumbents. Council members are limited to two four-year terms, and this year half of the body retired or stepped down to pursue other offices.
Who
We’ve been asked to help Janaeya Carmouche, a proven progressive leader running for one of the city-wide council member seats. While we’re writing for her, we’re also going to remind Democratic voters that their popular, incumbent Democratic Mayor Sylvester Turner needs them to win re-election. Janaeya and Mayor Turner must each get enough Democratic voters to turn out in order order to win December’s runoffs. We’re hoping that Democratic voters who want Mayor Turner to have a second term will heed your fun, friendly reminders to vote in the runoff and, while doing so, also vote for Janaeya who is running to defeat a conservative incumbent on the City Council.
Your postcards will have to squeeze in both names. But, the extra effort is designed to lift both candidates to victory.
Janaeya has been fighting to replace Michael Kubosh, an obstructionist whose destructive rhetoric has halted city progress. Among his more divisive actions:
- As a bail bondsman and criminal justice reform opponent, Kubosh took millions out of vulnerable communities on minor offenses like outdated vehicle registration stickers; increasing financial challenges for those charged with making restitution.
- Attracted hate groups to Houston to fight against equal rights by amplifying unproven rhetoric around access to public spaces by re-imagining transgender persons as sexual predators.
- Has voted against five of six city budget proposals without recommendations for improvement. He claims to be a financial watchdog, but his obstruction without solutions negatively impacts service delivery to residents.
- He is a climate change denier; believing that there is no human impact to environmental changes.
About Janaeya
Presenting herself and her ideas as a better alternative, Janaeya has 15 years’ experience in public leadership as senior staff at the Houston City Council, Texas State Senate, and Harris County Commissioner in Precinct One. In every role, she has worked to close the gap between government and the people it serves. She is a staunch advocate for LGBTQIA rights, homelessness recovery, geographic and financial access to (mental and physical) health services, fair immigration, and criminal justice reform.
Janaeya led FEMA recovery sites following local disasters, empowered community development efforts, and provided back-to-school support and services for thousands of families. Through her efforts, hundreds of clients were helped to improve their lives through clearing criminal records and restoring the identification documents needed to seek work and housing.
About Mayor Turner
Meanwhile, the same voters will decide who will be Houston’s next Mayor. Incumbent Turner had 47% of the vote to 28% for Buzbee, a high-profile attorney and Republican. Turner was around 7,800 votes short of winning enough of the vote to avert an overtime round.
Turner is fighting for a second term leading Texas’ biggest city and the fourth most populous in the country. The race was nonpartisan, though Turner, a former longtime Democratic state representative, dogged Buzbee over his past financial support for President Donald Trump, an unpopular figure in the solidly blue city.
Because these elections are non-partisan, voters won’t see a “D” or an “R” next to candidates’ names. The Democratic voters to whom we’re writing to boost turnout all know that Mayor Turner is a Democrat. We need them to also vote for Janaeya letting them know she is also a Democrat.
Houston
Houston is at an important moment where disaster recovery money needs to go to individuals and communities in the greatest need. Every resident must be counted in the upcoming Census and not intimidated by misinformation that will block hundreds of millions in city funding desperately needed for resident services. Re-electing Mayor Turner and electing Janaeya will give the council two strong advocates who will work progressively on issues like climate change, mental health, housing, and livable wages.
It’s a short notice, long list challenge. But, we have the capacity even despite the holiday. Our average daily numbers show we can pull this off. Thank you for turning your pens to Houston’s December runoff elections.
Write on! ~Tony The Democrat
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