Breaking Down Houston's 2019 Mayoral Race
Houston’s mayoral election next month is sort of like a nonpartisan primary. If any one candidate among all the would-be mayors garners a majority of the votes, that will be that, but in the very likely event of no candidate getting more than 50 percent, the two top contenders will head into a December runoff. Thanks to everything from Hurricane Harvey fallout to Mayor Sylvester Turner’s clash with city firefighters over pay parity, this year’s field is even more crowded than usual. As such, it can be hard to keep everyone straight and make an informed decision. Here are a few key things to know about the most eye-catching candidates:
Image: Courtesy of Sylvester Turner
Mayor Sylvester Turner
Party
Old-school Democrat
Key Moment
Hurricane Harvey, hands down, during which Turner was the voice of calm, focusing on getting people help and keeping the city’s water and sanitation systems running, not playing politics.
Why He'll Win
See above. Also, the Houston-born and -raised incumbent, elected in 2015 after serving 27 years in the Texas Lege, stood up to the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association over the city’s inability to afford Prop B—which mandates equal pay for firefighters and police officers—a move that actually may have garnered him some points with conservatives.
Why He'll Lose
In 2017 Turner sought to address Houston’s bloated-pension problem by negotiating deals with police, firefighters, and other city employees while shepherding $1 billion in pension-obligation bonds through the state legislature. While the fix helped shore up city finances, it also led directly to the 2018 passage of Proposition B. Now Turner is being portrayed as the guy who doesn’t appreciate firefighters, and that’s not good.
Of Note
Turner’s mom was a maid at the Rice Hotel, his dad was a commercial painter, and he went to Harvard Law School.
Image: Courtesy of Bill King
Former Kemah Mayor Bill King
Party
Republican
Key Moment
His 2015 tweet about being proud that U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz had voted for his mayoral bid, which he later deleted.
Why He'll Win
King captured 49 percent of the 2015 mayoral runoff vote, losing by just 2 percent.
Why He'll Lose
King has ideas, but fellow contender Tony Buzbee has similar ideas, and in a flashier package.
Of Note
In August 2017 King, a former Chron columnist, wrote a New York Times op-ed defending Mayor Turner’s decision not to order the city evacuated during Harvey.
Image: Courtesy of Tony Buzbee
Famed Defense Attorney Tony Buzbee
Party
Independent who donates to both parties but hosted Trump in 2016 and sure sounds Republican.
Key Moment
The January day that he pushed a wheelbarrow full of horse manure into his own Midtown campaign headquarters to back up his claim that City Hall stinks.
Why He'll Win
You can’t go 10 feet without seeing one of Buzbee’s campaign signs. He’s not accepting donations but has more than $5 million in campaign funds to keep himself in the spotlight and attempt to distinguish himself from the less showy King.
Why He'll Lose
Houston hasn’t had a Republican mayor since 1982, we tend to re-elect incumbents, and razzle-dazzle will only take a person so far.
Of Note
In 2017 Buzbee bought a fully functional World War II–era Sherman M4A4 tank for $600,000 and parked it in front of his mansion. After the River Oaks Property Owners’ Association complained, he donated it to Texas A&M.
Image: Courtesy of Sue Lovell
Former Houston City Councilwoman Sue Lovell
Party
Liberal Democrat
Key Moment
Back in 1985, when Lovell lost the election for president of the highly influential Houston GLBT Political Caucus to Annise Parker by one vote.
Why She'll Win
She’s an Eleanor Tinsley–era Dem whose platform is focused on public safety, infrastructure, and quality of life, all nonpartisan issues.
Why She'll Lose
She’s appealing to some of the same contingent as Turner but doesn’t have his years of experience or connections.
Of Note
When the Houston GLBT Political Caucus was first created, Lovell, then-owner of a printing shop, let the group print fliers for free.
Image: Courtesy of Dwight Boykins
District D Councilman Dwight Boykins
Party
Turner-style Democrat, but with a pro–Prop B twist.
Key Moment
In June, when his campaign website accidentally went live before he’d announced he was running.
Why He'll Win
He’s pro–Prop B.
Why He'll Lose
He’s got nothing else to distinguish himself from Turner, the guy he supported before deciding he wanted to be mayor himself.
Of Note
Shortly after announcing his mayoral run, Boykins told a group of students that girls should “keep their legs closed.” (He subsequently apologized “to anyone who may have taken offense.”)
Image: Courtesy of Demetria Smith
Business Owner Demetria Smith
Party
Democrat, the kind who is going to fight “poverty, injustice, and oppression,” in that order. No word on exactly how she intends to do this.
Key Moment
In 2018 she briefly ran for governor, only to be disqualified after her check for the filing fee bounced.
Why She'll Win
Smith was born and raised in South Park and, during her 2015 mayoral run, did garner about 1,200 votes.
Why She'll Lose
She’s run for office multiple times and hasn’t scored a win yet.
Of Note
Her campaign platform is called The Movement.
Image: Courtesy of Kendall Baker
Pastor Kendall Baker
Party
Republican, the anti-HERO kind.
Key Moment
In 2014, when he showed up to protest Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance at a City Council meeting, Baker took the opportunity to complain about how he’d been fired from his position as head of 311 after being accused of sexual harassment.
Why He'll Win
HERO was voted down, so maybe Baker will be voted in.
Why He'll Lose
Those sexual harassment allegations in this #MeToo world.
Of Note
If elected, Baker says he’ll solve the complicated Prop B issue during his first month on the job.
Image: Courtesy of Naoufal Houjami
Businessman Naoufal Houjami
Party
Independent
Key Moment
In 2010 he was named chairman of the Texas Modern Whig Party, a position he held until 2016.
Why He'll Win
It’s been 165 years since the Whig Party has been heard from around here, but you never know, it could make a comeback.
Why He'll Lose
The Whigs died out 165 years ago for a reason.
Of Note
He’s the author of an e-book, Business Plan of Self-Serve Car & Pet Wash.
Image: Courtesy of Johnny Taylor
Entrepreneur Johnny Taylor
Party
Democrat, running on a platform that apparently will solve every issue in the city.
Key Moment
In 2016 local radio station KCOH sought a restraining order against Taylor and his company, Mobile Encryption Technologies, alleging that Taylor, hired to develop the station’s mobile app, had taken over its communication systems while claiming to be its GM. The order was granted, although the case was eventually dropped.
Why He'll Win
Anything is possible.
Why He'll Lose
The radio thing seems like a big hurdle for any candidate.
Of Note
He is a U.S. Navy vet who's been married for more than 20 years.
