Top candidate for Houston mayor has real estate ties

Texas Sen. John Whitmire has emerged as the frontrunner in Houston’s mayoral race, which could have huge implications for real estate.  

The long-time Democrat is Texas’ longest-serving state senator, and he’s garnered support from Republicans, putting him on track to win the Nov. 7 election. The top candidate with a chance to steal his thunder is fellow democrat and U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, the Houston Chronicle reported. 

Whitmire, 73, has been active in local real estate, investing with a number of Houston developers, some of whom were part of questionable deals, according to the New York Times. It’s unclear how much money Whitmire has made through his real estate endeavors, because Texas is a non-disclosure state.      

He’s invested in condominium projects led by Mike Surface, a Houston developer who was at the center of a corruption scandal in 2011. In the early ’90s, Whitmire worked with executives of BSL Golf Corporation, a construction company that was later investigated by the FBI due to shady investments it received from the Houston Municipal Employees Pension Fund.

The senator’s ties to the business community, dating back decades, has helped propel his campaign, as he’s received major donations from developer Richard Weekley and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, who invests in hotels and resorts.

Public safety has been at the forefront of Whitmire’s campaign, but given his history, it’s possible he would enact business-friendly policies and bolster development activity. 

He’s also claimed to be a “strong advocate for women’s reproductive rights” who “pushed to get illegal guns off our streets” and “provide second chances to offenders who have served their time,” the outlet reported.

—Quinn Donoghue 

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