November 7 2023 will be a decision-making day for the good people of Houston. This is because, among other things, they’ll have to choose who will serve as their mayor for the next political tenure. This race promises to be a tight one because the incumbent mayor, #Sylvester Turner, is term-limited and as such won’t be coming in for reelection.

While this might make proceedings a little more challenging on D-day, there is one bright and beautiful ray of hope in all of this, and that’s the fact that Texans won’t be left with entirely unfamiliar faces and names on the ballot box this time around.

On the contrary, more than a few public faces will be featured in the coming election. What matters most at this particular point in time is to make sure that, as a voter, you make the right call when you step up to cast your vote.

With the names of incumbent state rep #Sheila Jackson Lee and incumbent U.S. senator, #John Whitmore on the ballot, the average Houstonian might feel (quite rightly) stuck and at a loss as to who would make the best possible mayor for the city. However, this decision becomes considerably easier when you make an effort to peek behind the veil and consider what each candidate truly represents and has to offer with respect to what Houston needs at this moment in time.

Truthfully speaking, Jackson Lee presents a truly interesting and appealing visage on many levels. The good work she’s done during her thirteen terms of service as a #United States Representative speaks for itself. The fact is, she would undoubtedly have been the ideal candidate for mayor of the city if she didn’t have an individual as truly outstanding as John Whitmore for an opponent.

When it’s all said and done, many cases can be made for and against a person like Whitmore. But when push comes to shove, only one thing truly matters; how far a leader would be willing to go in true and complete service of the people. And in this regard, Whitmore has passed muster every single time that he has been put to the test.

Speaking to the press not long ago, Whitmore had this to say, “I don't take a back seat to any Democrat. I've been a very active force in the Democratic party for a long time. I just want to fix things. If I receive Republican support, that's great. If I continue to get support from our diverse community, I shall. I'm putting together a pretty strong coalition of people that love the city, that are concerned.”

Whitmore is a tested and trusted, dyed-in-blue Democrat. There can be zero doubt about that. And, in an election that is supposed to be technically nonpartisan, this isn’t necessarily a good thing. However, certain elements work in favor of Whitmore’s credibility here. The biggest of these is the fact that he has a track record of crossing party lines without reservations when it is clearly in the best interest of the masses.

It kind of says something about you when your primary challenger, someone who is on the same side as you, has to release a publication indicating that you are in cahoots with the other “side”.

Should there be “sides” when the people’s interests are at stake?

How long can we afford to continue to keep thinking like this?

At what point do we call for a real and lasting change?

Let’s face the facts.

If the United States of America finds itself in a bind today, one of the biggest reasons for this will likely be because the two leading political parties seem to make it a point of duty to argue and disagree at everything, even when the truth is as plain as day. They would rather fight and stoke the flames of division instead of putting their heads together and looking for viable and sustainable solutions to the critical issues that members of their constituency face.

Yet, as one holy book puts it, a house that’s divided against itself cannot stand.

In reality, things have come to a point in America when looking for a politician who has no affiliation to any organized political body has become a little too much to ask. However, the next best thing is finding someone who won’t let these affiliations compromise their service to the people.

And, if the five decades that Whitmore has spent in the #U.S. Senate is anything to judge by, we know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that he will ALWAYS put the people first before any party or personal agenda. He is not a party stooge, a mindless political drone.

In the end, that’s all we can really ask for from any public office holder today.

With Whitmore’s ability to not be blinded by ephemeral party agendas coupled with his years of experience working across the aisle, Houston is set for a bright, new, and different future with him at the helm of affairs.

Because his arms are open to everyone and he’s actually willing to listen to every side, he’s become perfectly positioned to take all his priorities, from improving public safety to enhancing economic growth in the city all the way home.

Houston has tried several hardliners over the years. The result of that, as we can all see, has been a bit of a mixed bag. Let’s see what a true bipartisan politician can do for a change. Let’s start genuinely listening to each other again.

It’s time to give Houston real hope.

So, when November 7th comes along, Houstonians should vote for Whitmore.

Let’s vote for a future we can truly call our own.