Congratulations Mayor-Elect Parker and Other Newly Electeds

The Harris County Democratic Party extends its heartiest congratulations to Houston Mayor-Elect Annise Parker on her victory in the recent runoff election. With her election, Houston continues to enjoy outstanding Democratic leadership and we are confident the People First agenda of the Democratic Party will find a true champion in Annise Parker.

We also extend our best wishes to Mayor-Elect Parker’s challengers Gene Locke and Peter Brown. There are no more decent, progressive, caring, visionary, and committed public servants than Gene Locke, Peter Brown, and Annise Parker, and Houston is extraordinarily fortunate to have had the three of them serving us in the past and vying to head our City’s government in the future.

Ronald Green’s ascension to the City Controller position is another bright spot for Houston. Ron is just pure quality as a public servant and a person and will do a super job in the new role the voters of Houston have entrusted to him.

We are also proud that the voters of Houston have returned to their seats on City Council Democrats Sue Lovell (Democratic National Committeeperson, by the way) and Jolanda Jones, evidencing their confidence in these two incumbent Democrats and their satisfaction with the way these leaders have discharged their public duties. Newcomer Steven Costello, while a consistent voter in Republican primaries, promises a non-ideological approach to his new position as City Councilmember at Large, and he has in the recent past supported such Democratic candidates as Garnet Coleman, Armando Walle, Kirk Watson, Senfronia Thompson, Sylvester Turner, and Nick Lampson (as well as contributing recently to the Harris County Democratic Party), so we are hopeful his tenure on council will reflect the political openness and diversity he has demonstrated in the past.

Gerry Birnberg
Chair, Harris County Democratic Party
December 13, 2009