Molly Cook & Jarvis Johnson Fight It Out For SD 15-Who Is Best Bet For Democracy?

State Representative Jarvis Johnson and Molly Cook are the two remaining candidates for the State Senate District 15 seat vacated by John Whitmire when he became Mayor. 

Here is a Houston Landing story about the race. 

Rep. Johnson and Ms. Cook advanced to the Democratic primary runoff in the March 5 primary. They are the also the only two candidates in the race to complete Mayor Whitmire’s term. 

The election to fill the remainder of Mayor Whitmire’s term is May 4. Early voting is April 22-April 30. The primary runoff election is May 28. 

Rep. Johnson served on Houston City Council and has been in the Texas House since 2016. Ms. Cook is a registered nurse who ran a strong race against Senator Whitmire in 2022. ( I had a paid role in Molly's 2022 campaign doing writing, strategy and voter outreach.)  

There was a debate this past week between the two candidates conducted by Bayou Blue Democrats. Above are two pictures from the debate. One shows Rep. Johnson standing up & the other shows Ms. Cook standing up.    

The debate was contentious and enjoyable. Lots of back and forth between the two.   

When considering candidates, the Houston Democracy Project has a focus on who will be the strongest, most imaginative and most courageous advocate for democracy. Who would be willing to take political, career, and if need be, physical risks in an authoritarian crisis    

​​Rep. Johnson is get-along-to-go-along business as usual. Here is something he told the Houston Chronicle editorial board:

“Anybody who makes a donation to my campaign, that means they have access,” said Johnson, “Doesn’t mean that they get a yes.”

Same old stuff. If he is saying that in public, imagine how he operates in private. I don't give him points for honesty. What I see in the comment is disregard for the access of people who can't afford write him a check or don't want to write him a check. 

Rep. Johnson talks about his experience in public office. That's fine. But talk about experience should include reflection about being part of systems that have brought us extreme right wing government in Texas, and to the brink of authoritarianism and mass round-ups of migrants from our national politics. Why will more the same bring us something better?       

(Speaking of mass round-ups of migrants, there was no mention of the subject in the debate despite the fact SD 15 is 40% Latino and very diverse.)       

Ms. Cook has recently pivoted her campaign to a tougher more negative approach to Rep. Johnson & to more talk of Texas Republican extremism. This may well be what she believes-she is an honest person-, but it also seems attuned to her second place finish in the March 5 primary. It is an approach she could have taken all along given the gravity of our current political situation. 

Ms. Cook is the best bet to strongly address far-right extremism, and to be on the right side of a police line in an authoritarian crisis. But should Ms. Cook be elected, we will have to demand that she be there when needed most. Elected officials are often not reliable allies in a tough fight.        

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