“I have the skills, courage, and faith in our communities, and I am ready to save lives.”
The Texan: Molly Cook Wins Special Election to Fill Remainder of Whitmire's Term in Texas Senate
Political activist Molly Cook won a special election Saturday to represent Texas Senate District (SD) 15 for the remainder of this year, filling the vacancy left by now-Houston Mayor John Whitmire who held the seat for more than 40 years.
“It is the honor of my life that the people of District 15 have chosen me as their next State Senator,” Cook said in a statement to The Texan. “Tonight’s results show that Harris County voters are ready to send an ER nurse and grassroots organizer to fight for them in Austin. This victory would not be possible without the thousands of volunteers, donors, and supporters who powered my campaign from the very beginning—I could not be more grateful for their support.”
“When we win again on the 28th, I will organize Senate District 15 to be the highest Democratic turnout district in the state.”
Houston Chronicle: Molly Cook wins special election to fill John Whitmire’s Texas Senate seat
Emergency room nurse Molly Cook won a special election Saturday to finish the remaining term of former state Sen. John Whitmire, who stepped down from the Legislature four months ago to become the mayor of Houston.
Cook held an early double-digit lead over state Rep. Jarvis Johnson, also a Democrat, that only grew over the course of the night, according to complete but unofficial returns.
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“When we win again on the 28th, I will organize Senate District 15 to be the highest Democratic turnout district in the state and fight for our candidates up and down the ballot,” Cook said in a news release after declaring victory Saturday night. “I have the skills, courage and faith in our communities, and I am ready to save lives.”
“Tonight’s results show that Harris County voters are ready to send an ER nurse and grassroots organizer to fight for them in Austin.”
Out Smart Magazine: Historic Victory: Molly Cook becomes first openly LGBTQ+ member in Texas Senate
In a groundbreaking victory, Molly Cook secured a historic win in the special election for District 15 in the Texas Senate, becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ member to serve in the upper chamber. Reflecting on her success, Cook expressed profound gratitude, stating, “It is the honor of my life that the people of District 15 have chosen me as their next State Senator.”
Cook acknowledged the pivotal role of grassroots support in her campaign: “Tonight’s results show that Harris County voters are ready to send an ER nurse and grassroots organizer to fight for them in Austin. This victory would not be possible without the thousands of volunteers, donors, and supporters who powered my campaign from the very beginning—I could not be more grateful for their support.”
Cook's margin of victory indicates her strength heading into the Democratic primary runoff later this month.
Voters in Senate District 15 have elected ER nurse and political activist Molly Cook to fill the unexpired term of Houston Mayor John Whitmire. Cook's margin of victory indicates her strength heading into the Democratic primary runoff later this month.
Molly Cook jumped out to a sizable lead over State Representative Jarvis Johnson when Harris County released the early voting numbers in the special election Saturday evening. By the time the unofficial final results came out early Sunday morning, Cook led by more than 2,000 votes out of about 16,000 cast — more than 14 percentage points.
During the campaign, Cook emphasized her experience as a medical professional and focused on issues such as energy affordability, abortion rights, gun safety, protecting public education, and LGBTQ+ rights. Her victory in the special election makes her the first openly LGBTQ+ state senator in Texas.
Molly Cook previously challenged John Whitmire for the Democratic nomination for Senate District 15 in 2022. She lost that race by 58.4% to 41.6% but gained name recognition.
Cook will face Jarvis Johnson one more time in the Democratic primary runoff May 28 to determine who will represent the party against Republican candidate Joseph L. Trahan in the general election. The winner of the November contest will represent SD 15 in next year's legislative session. The last time a Republican won SD 15 was more than 50 years ago, making the winner of the Democratic primary runoff the heavy favorite in the general election.
Cook’s victory in the special election will count towards her seniority in the Senate if she wins the primary runoff and general elections. In the meanwhile, it means SD 15 will have representation in the Senate if Governor Greg Abbott summons the Legislature back for a special session this year.
Molly Cook wins special election for John Whitmire's former Senate seat
Community Impact: Molly Cook wins special election for John Whitmire's former Senate seat
With votes in from all Harris County voting centers, unofficial results show emergency room nurse Molly Cook has won the special election for Senate District 15 over Texas Rep. Jarvis Johnson with 57.2% of the votes, or 9,330 votes. Johnson finished the night with 6,973 votes.
“We need a leader and legislator in that seat who understands the value and importance of grassroots organizing, and is willing to use their significant platform and service to feed those movements”
Emergency room nurse Molly Cook will serve out the remaining months of John Whitmire’s term in the Texas Senate after defeating state Rep. Jarvis Johnson in a special election Saturday, according to unofficial returns.
With all precincts reporting, Cook led with 57% to Johnson’s 43%. She declared victory in a statement shortly after 10 p.m.
The win means Cook will represent Senate District 15 through the end of the year, making her the first person other than Whitmire to hold the seat since 1983. The post has been vacant since January, when Whitmire resigned to be sworn in as Houston mayor.
The outcome marked a sharp reversal from the March 5 primary, in which Johnson, Cook and four other Democrats squared off for a full term that will start when the Legislature reconvenes for its next regular session in January 2025.
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Cook, a community organizer who challenged Whitmire for the Senate seat in 2022, said it was “the honor of my life that the people of District 15 have chosen me as their next State Senator.”
“With the May 28th runoff election fast approaching, our work continues,” Cook said. “As we’ve done twice already, my campaign is prepared to knock on every door, talk to every voter, and reach every corner of District 15.”
Cook, who came out as bisexual in 2021, will be the first out member of the LGBTQ+ community to serve in the upper chamber, her campaign noted in a press release.
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Cook said she would look to boost the types of grassroots movements she has helped organize in recent years, such as opposing the state’s massive plan to expand Interstate 45 and passing a city ballot referendum aimed at strengthening Houston’s representation on a regional group that distributes federal funds.
“We need a leader and legislator in that seat who understands the value and importance of grassroots organizing, and is willing to use their significant platform and service to feed those movements,” Cook said. “The more and more institutional support that I have, the more support that I can lend to the folks on the ground doing this work.”
“[It is] the honor of my life that the people of District 15 have chosen me as their next State Senator.”
Emergency room nurse Molly Cook will serve out the remaining months of John Whitmire’s term in the Texas Senate after defeating state Rep. Jarvis Johnson in a special election Saturday, according to unofficial returns.
With all precincts reporting, Cook led with 57% to Johnson’s 43%. She declared victory in a statement shortly after 10 p.m.
The win means Cook will represent Senate District 15 through the end of the year, making her the first person other than Whitmire to hold the seat since 1983. The post has been vacant since January, when Whitmire resigned to be sworn in as Houston mayor.
The outcome marked a sharp reversal from the March 5 primary, in which Johnson, Cook and four other Democrats squared off for a full term that will start when the Legislature reconvenes for its next regular session in January 2025.
Johnson, D-Houston, received 36% of the vote in that initial contest, easily leading the field but failing to reach the majority threshold needed for an outright win. That put him in a runoff against Cook, who finished a distant second with nearly 21%. Their overtime bout, set for May 28, will effectively decide who fills the solidly blue seat until 2029.
Cook, a community organizer who challenged Whitmire for the Senate seat in 2022, said it was “the honor of my life that the people of District 15 have chosen me as their next State Senator.”
“With the May 28th runoff election fast approaching, our work continues,” Cook said. “As we’ve done twice already, my campaign is prepared to knock on every door, talk to every voter, and reach every corner of District 15.”
Cook, who came out as bisexual in 2021, will be the first out member of the LGBTQ+ community to serve in the upper chamber, her campaign noted in a press release.
Cook outraised and outspent Johnson since the March contest, giving her a financial edge she did not have in the first round when she trailed Johnson. The candidates were also battling for a different — and much smaller — slice of the electorate on Saturday: The special election is open to all voters like a general election, and an anemic 3% of registered voters turned out.
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Cook said she would look to boost the types of grassroots movements she has helped organize in recent years, such as opposing the state’s massive plan to expand Interstate 45 and passing a city ballot referendum aimed at strengthening Houston’s representation on a regional group that distributes federal funds.
“We need a leader and legislator in that seat who understands the value and importance of grassroots organizing, and is willing to use their significant platform and service to feed those movements,” Cook said. “The more and more institutional support that I have, the more support that I can lend to the folks on the ground doing this work.”
Two elections this month could pave the way for November victories.
Out Smart Magazine: A Crucial Moment for LGBTQ Representation
We have much to celebrate from the March 5 primary election results, where LGBTQ+ voters were key to the success of LGBTQ+ candidates across Harris County.
We retained almost all of our LGBTQ+ state and local officials, while opening the door to grow their ranks.
Here are two key dates to remember to get out and vote: Saturday, May 4 and Tuesday, May 28.
If you’re wondering why it is we’re voting again, it’s complicated. So bear with me.
On Saturday, May 4, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund candidate Molly Cook will be on the ballot to fill Mayor John Whitmire’s vacated seat in the Texas State Senate for the remainder of the year. A registered nurse and healthcare advocate, Molly can become the first ever out LGBTQ+ member of the upper chamber, where our community faces the most hostility and desperately needs representation.
Then on Tuesday, May 28, we get to vote again! This time Molly Cook is on the ballot for the runoff for next year’s full term, and queer organizer Lauren Ashley Simmons is facing anti-LGBTQ Representative Shawn Thierry in a runoff election. It’s imperative that we win both of these races this month.
“If somebody’s running on their experience, their experience deserves to be examined.”
Houston Press: Two Candidates Try To Take Over Mayor John Whitmire's Senate Seat...Twice?
State Representative Jarvis Johnson and emergency room nurse Molly Cook are going head-to-head in Saturday’s special election to represent Senate District 15 for the remainder of Whitmire’s current term, which runs through the end of the year.
In the weeks before the special election, Cook went on the offensive against her opponent. She called into question his voting record, exclaiming to attendees at a debate hosted by the Bayou Blue Democrats that he had disappointed his constituency despite both being on the same side.
“If somebody’s running on their experience, their experience deserves to be examined,” Cook said. “If somebody has let us down, which I think my opponent has let us down in Austin a few times, then you need to take a critical look at that experience before you walk into the booth.”
During the April debate, Cook took issue with votes Johnson missed and votes he took, such as approving House Bill 3924 in 2021, which she said chipped away at the Affordable Care Act.
Cook has also criticized Johnson’s funding stream. Most notably, the Charter Schools Now political action committee, which she said has ties to the American Federation of Children. This super PAC is funded by Trump donors such as Texas oil tycoon Tim Dunn and pro-voucher advocates like former American Federation of Children chair and U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
Johnson received roughly $110,000 from the Charter Schools Now PAC.
“We’re not going to be able to make the change that we need until we’re able to flip some of those statewide seats.”
The Texan: Houstonians to Vote Twice in May on Replacement for Mayor Whitmire in Texas Senate
An emergency room nurse, Cook previously ran against Whitmire for SD 15 in 2022 and took 42 percent of the vote. An opponent of plans to relocate and widen portions of the Interstate 45 freeway in Houston over environmental and civil rights concerns, she has a long history of activism within the community and campaigns for increased access to abortion, LGBT rights, and opposition to both school choice initiatives and expansion of public charter schools.
Despite Johnson’s criminal justice reform work, the Texas Organizing Project — which advocates for significant changes to end “mass incarceration” and racially disparate outcomes — has endorsed Cook. She is also endorsed by the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus and Annie’s List, a pro-choice PAC.
Both candidates expressed support for the right to abortion, with Cook noting that she brought not only nursing experience but the experience of a woman who has had an abortion in the State of Texas.
“That’s a perspective that we need to fight for all of us,” said Cook, adding that women needed access to safe abortions. She also committed to working to help Democrats take control of the Texas House.
“We’re not going to be able to make the change that we need until we’re able to flip some of those statewide seats.”
“I am talking to voters for hours and hours a day, and the data looks good, the response is enthusiastic.”
Texas Tribune: Two Houston Democrats face off in back-to-back elections for John Whitmire’s open state Senate seat
“I am talking to voters for hours and hours a day, and the data looks good, the response is enthusiastic, and I think that really came through in our fundraising reports,” she said.
"I want to go the Texas Capitol and save lives millions at a time"
Fox 26 Houston: Meet the candidates for Texas Senate District 15
“Johnson’s experience in office also needs to be examined.”
Reform Austin: Johnson Vs. Cook: Houston’s Political Arena Heats Up
“I promise never to touch dark Republican money that is floating through these PACs.”
Houston Chronicle: 4 debate takeaways as Johnson, Cook clash in heated race to succeed Whitmire in Texas Senate
“I promise never to touch dark Republican money that is floating through these PACs and changing the landscape and culture of our state around public education,” she said.
“I’m used to working against the odds.”
Houston Landing: Molly Cook, Jarvis Johnson face back-to-back elections to fill Whitmire’s old Senate seat
“I’m used to working against the odds, staving off pestilence, plague and death with our bare hands and modern science,” Cook said. “I really can’t think of life experience that prepares you more for walking into that Capitol.”
"Each one of these races is a brand-new race," she said. "We're very excited."
Houston Public Media: Molly Cook, Jarvis Johnson squaring off in back-to-back elections with eyes on vacant Texas Senate seat
“The energy is there. The values are there. What's missing is somebody in that seat who's ready to be the point on the spear to make it happen.”
Houston Chronicle: Race to succeed John Whitmire in Texas Senate down to runoff between Jarvis Johnson, Molly Cook
“We need deep canvassing in the off-season to understand why low-propensity voters are not turning out,” Cook told the Chronicle on Tuesday night at her watch party at The Flat. “The energy is there. The values are there. What's missing is somebody in that seat who's ready to be the point on the spear to make it happen.”
“It's a tough road to make sure that the right people get into the right spots,” Cook said, adding she expects herself to head to a runoff with Johnson. “But now you start fresh with the new batch of likely voters and a new batch of voters that you can bring into it … and I’m excited for it.”
“I owe my success to my team, our volunteers and donors, and every one person who cast their vote last night”
Community Impact: UPDATE: Johnson, Cook headed to runoff in Democratic primary for Texas Senate District 15
"We are resolute and affirmed in our mission to put a nurse and community organizer in the Texas Senate," Cook said in an emailed statement to Community Impact. "It is an honor to be one of two candidates moving forward from a competitive primary into a runoff. A runoff is a new race with a new dynamic, and we are already back to work. I owe my success to my team, our volunteers and donors, and every one person who cast their vote last night to bring nursing leadership, public health and grassroots organizing to the Texas Senate."
We’re coming in fresh, with an honest look at things and a desire to serve.”
Houston Press: Frontrunners Jarvis Johnson and Molly Cook Are In A Runoff For Former State Senator John Whitmire's Seat
“The obstacles are going to be nonstop. I have found that the most successful way to fight is to be doggedly persistent. You don’t have to necessarily piss everyone off every time. You just don’t stop,” Cook said. “That is a skill and a personality trait that I have, and I am going to bring with me to the Texas Senate.”
“It’s not just the same old, same old,” Cook said. “It’s fresh work, it’s a fresh perspective. No one is trying to bribe me. We’re coming in fresh, with an honest look at things and a desire to serve.”
“I’m extremely hopeful and extremely excited.”
Houston Chronicle: Texas primary results in major incumbent shakeups despite low turnout
Molly Cook, a Democrat vying to replace John Whitmire in the Texas Senate after he was elected Houston’s mayor, spent Tuesday afternoon at Poe Elementary School campaigning with her dad, Mark Cook.
The pair stood on the sidewalk and handed out fliers to voters passing by.
“I’m proud of her,” Mark Cook said. “This is a lot of work. I had no idea.”
Molly Cook believes her background in nursing and public health, along with her grassroots campaign, is what sets her apart from the six Democratic candidates on the Senate District 15 ticket.
“I’m extremely hopeful and extremely excited,” she said.