Sheila Jackson Lee not guaranteed to win Houston mayoral race, poll suggests.

Could Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s Anti-Police Stance Cost Her the Houston Mayoral Race?

Fourteen-term congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee announced her intention to run for mayor of Houston, but her anti-police record may be hurting her chances, according to a recent poll. In a race that includes seven candidates, Jackson Lee is polling at 19%, compared to 20% for Democratic state legislator John Whitmire.

What’s causing Jackson Lee’s struggles in the race? Her past positions on crime, which is the top issue in the race, according to the poll. Jackson Lee has long argued that policing in the United States is systemically racist and introduced a police reform bill in 2020 that she said “answers the concerns” of far-left activists who want to defund police.

But those positions appear to put Jackson Lee out of touch with Houston’s mayoral voters. Sixty-three percent of those voters are “afraid to walk at night,” while 61% say the city has “probably” or “definitely” gotten less safe in the last four years. A majority of respondents also said they have a “strong” perception of police.

In contrast to Jackson Lee, Whitmire is known for his conservative approach to fighting crime. On his campaign site, the state legislator pledges to be “tough but smart on crime.”

Jackson Lee launched her mayoral bid during a March appearance at Houston’s City Cathedral Church. “Sheila Jackson Lee wants to come home to be your mayor for the city of Houston,” the Democrat said. “I will not be able to do it without each and every one of you.” Jackson Lee will face Whitmire and the race’s other candidates, which include Houston city council member Robert Gallegos, in November.

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