John Whitmire, the Texas state senator who won Houston’s mayoral runoff in a landslide took a parting shot at his opponent, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), calling her out for her recent tirade against staff.
“People want to go to work for me because we respect people. We don’t bully people,” Whitmire said during his victory speech Saturday, according to a report from the Houston Chronicle. “My family taught me to treat people the way you want to be treated, and that works wherever you are, regardless of what community you’re visiting with. Treat these individuals like you want to be treated.”
Whitmire, also a Democrat, was referring to Jackson Lee’s controversial tirade last month, where she berated her staffers with profane language as the heated race continued.
“When I called Jerome, he only sits up there like a fat [expletive], just talking about what the [expletive] he doesn’t know. Both of y’all are [expletive]-ups… This is the worst [expletive] that I could’ve ever had put together. Two [expletive] big [expletive] children. [Expletive] idiots. Serve no [expletive] purpose,” Jackson Lee said in an angry voice in one part of the recording.
Earlier this month, Jackson Lee was even further ridiculed after she encouraged her supporters to vote in a campaign ad, urging them to cast their ballots by Dec. 7, two days before the actual date of the runoff election.
Saturday’s election was won by Whitmire in a landslide, after he garnered 65% of the vote compared to Jackson Lee’s 34%.
“Great cities solve their problems,” Whitmire said after the victory. “We will face challenges, but I see that as an opportunity, and I need you to join hands with me. We’ll, meet our challenges, and it’ll be an opportunity to show the nation what the city of Houston could do.”
Jackson Lee addressed her supporters after the defeat, conceding the race and vowing to work with Whitmire to “make Houston better.”
“I’ve had a great opportunity to serve this city, and yes, I was there during every disaster bringing federal dollars here,” she said. ” I never ran away from the fight to make Houston better. Even though the outcome was not the way we would have wanted. The best thing for us to do is to shore up and stand up and be committed to Houston moving forward. That’s what I will do.”
