Houston's new mayor aimed a parting shot at his defeated Democratic rival after her campaign imploded over a leaked recording of her assaulting and cursing at staffers.
Texas Sen. John Whitmire, 74, asked voters to “join hands with me” after he stormed to victory Saturday in a run-off against Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee to become the oldest major city mayor in the U.S. become.
But there was no handshake for the defeated congresswoman who, during a lengthy rant in October, had branded her campaign aides as “two damn big kids” and “damn idiots who serve no purpose.”
'People want to work for me because we respect people. We don't bully people,” Whitmire said in his victory speech.
“My family taught me to treat people the way you want to be treated, and that works wherever you are, no matter what community you're visiting. Treat these people the way you want to be treated.”
Whitmire made a point of thanking his staff repeatedly on social media during the campaign
Shiela Jackson Lee has represented Houston in Congress since 1995 and sought to become Houston's first black female mayor
The two Democrats were pitted against each other for the runoff after topping the Nov. 7 nonpartisan poll for the right to succeed retiring Mayor Sylvester Turner.
The veteran centrist spent far more money than Jackson Lee, who had won the support of Hillary Clinton in her bid to become Houston's first black female mayor.
But a leaked clip posted by far-right Texas blog Current Revolt helped derail her campaign after it revealed her foul-mouthed response to an aide about a document she sought on Ovide Duncantell.
Duncantell, who died in 2018 at the age of 82, was the founder of the Black Heritage Society and was deeply involved in the city's politics throughout his life.
According to the blog, the employee told Jackson Lee that another employee, “Jerome,” had the document and that he would call him about it.
“I don't want you to fucking do anything,” she replied.
“I want you to have a fucking brain. I want you to have read it. I want you to say, “Congresswoman, date so and so.”
“That's what I want, that's the kind of staff I want.”
At that point in the clip, the woman who is heard continues to utter profanities as she harshly explains to the staffer how she expects her employees to handle calendar events.
Jackson-Lee received the support of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who praised her as a “fierce champion for her constituents.”
When the second round of votes was counted on Saturday, she was 31 percent behind her centrist rival
Houston, with an average age of about 35 and a quarter of its population under 18, was given a choice between Whitmore, 74, and Jackson Lee, 73.
She also mentions the particular importance of Duncantell in particular, due to his enduring reputation in The Bayou City.
“So some other stupid bastard did it. And I don't have the information,” she said.
She then scoffed at her staffer's response: “Nobody sent me the information.” I gotta make sure there's proper planning and, you know, if Boo Boo did it, s****** did it, and f***face did it.
“And no one knows a damn thing about it in my office!” Okay? Nothing!'
“Your job was to get it on the calendar, to get it into your brain, or to send the information back to me and say, 'Congresswoman, I made sure that the Ovide Ducantell event that you gave me for so- and-so gave at seven o'clock” is written on the damn calendar.
“You're both assholes.
“It's the worst s*** I could have ever put together.”
But the veteran Democrat who has represented Houston in Congress since 1995 is no stranger to f***-ups herself, recording a video message in which she falsely told her supporters to vote for her on December 7, instead of about the actual elections. date two days later.
After conceding defeat last night, she offered to work with Whitmire to “make Houston better.”
“I have had a great opportunity to serve this city, and yes, I have been there during every disaster that brought federal dollars here,” she added.
“I have never run away from the fight to make Houston better. Even if the outcome was not what we wanted. The best we can do is stand strong and stand up and commit to Houston's progress. That's what I'll do.'
Whitmire, one of Texas' most powerful Democratic lawmakers, will now be at the helm of America's fourth-largest city
Whitmire, who has served in the Texas Legislature since 1973, focused on reducing crime in his pitch to voters, littering his social media feeds with messages of gratitude to his campaign team as Election Day approached.
“Big cities solve their problems,” he said after the victory.
“We will face challenges, but I see that as an opportunity, and I want you to join hands.
“We will face our challenges, and it will be an opportunity to show the nation what the city of Houston could do.”