2001 Houston mayoral election

Background

Lee P. Brown was elected mayor of Houston, the first black person to do so, in 1997, and was reelected in 1999. Brown announced that he would seek reelection to a third term, the maximum allowed due to term limits, on August 26, 2001.

Campaign

• Chris Bell, member of the Houston City Council (Democratic)
• Lee P. Brown, Mayor of Houston (Democratic)
• Larry DeVoy, electrician
• Anthony Dutrow, Socialist Workers Party candidate in Utah's 3rd congressional district in 1990 election
• Orlando Sanchez, member of the Houston City Council (Republican)
• Luis Ullrich, plumber

City controller Sylvia Garcia and city councilor Carroll Robinson considered running.

The mayoral election is formally nonpartisan, but Brown and Chris Bell were aligned with the Democratic Party while Orlando Sanchez was aligned with the Republican Party. A forum was held at Kingwood College on October 2, and televised debate was hosted on October 10.

Brown was accused of causing the death of a fire captain due to the city's policy of three people per fire truck rather than the standard four. Brown proposed a $16 million expansion to the fire department's budget after the incident, but Sanchez attacked it as a "self-serving, despicable and cynical act". Bell's wife received a fake anthrax letter. Brown and Sanchez also reported receiving suspicious mail.

The Democratic National Committee spent $75,000 to aid Brown and DNC chair Terry McAuliffe campaigned for him. The Republican National Committee donated $15,000 to Sanchez's campaign. Elaine Chao and Mel Martínez, members of President George W. Bush's cabinet, campaigned for Sanchez. 60% of Hispanic voters supported Sanchez in the initial election.

Endorsements

State officials

• Mario Gallegos Jr., member of the Texas Senate from the 6th district

Local officials

• Chris Bell, member of the Houston City Council and mayoral candidate (runoff)

Individuals

• Kenneth Lay, CEO of Enron

Federal officials

• George H. W. Bush, 41st President of the United States

Polling

Results

References

Notes

Works cited

References

1. (August 27, 2001). "Houston's mayor will run again". [[The Victoria Advocate]].
2. (August 21, 2001). "Houston Looking To Make Internet Accessible To All". [[Tyler Morning Telegraph]].
3. (October 28, 2001). "Mayoral candidates". [[Houston Chronicle]].
4. (February 11, 2001). "Bell launches mayoral bid". [[Houston Chronicle]].
5. (June 6, 2001). "Robinson reconsiders mayoral race". [[Houston Chronicle]].
6. (October 27, 2001). "Houston mayoral race". [[The Victoria Advocate]].
7. (October 9, 2001). "Political forum at Kingwood College". [[Houston Chronicle]].
8. (October 14, 2001). "Anthrax made news, but economy kept our attention". [[Austin American-Statesman]].
9. (November 2, 2001). "Houston candidate's wife receives hoax". [[El Paso Times]].
10. (November 2, 2001). "Houston candidates receive threatening mail". [[The Orange Leader (Texas).
11. Duggan, Paul. (December 1, 2001). "Houston's Democratic Mayor Pulls Ahead Of GOP Challenger in Incomplete Vote Count". [[The Washington Post]].
12. Duggan, Paul. (December 2, 2001). "Houston Reelects Mayor in Close Race". [[The Washington Post]].
13. (April 22, 2001). "Sanchez to toss hat in the ring for mayor". [[Houston Chronicle]].
14. (November 16, 2001). "Former candidate backs incumbent mayor". [[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]].
15. (November 6, 2001). "Runoff would mark new era in Houston politics". [[Houston Chronicle]].
16. (November 21, 2001). "Mayor hopeful gets elder Bush support". [[Waco Tribune-Herald]].
17. (October 27, 2001). "Houston mayor bids for 3rd term". [[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]].
18. (September 30, 2001). "Brown leading in mayor's race". [[Houston Chronicle]].