Texas lawmaker John Whitmire tops Sheila Jackson Lee in runoff election for Houston's next mayor

Texas Sen. John Whitmire is projected to be Houston's next mayor after beating his opponent, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, in a special runoff election on Saturday. Whitmire inherits a city facing many challenges, including crime, crumbling infrastructure, and potential budget shortfalls. But despite these issues, booming growth over the last decade has turned the nation's fourth-largest city into an expanding stronghold for Texas Democrats. Jackson Lee and Whitmire, both Democrats, made it to Saturday's runoff after breezing past a crowded field of nearly 20 candidates in the Nov. 7...