Two Houston Democrats face off in back-to-back elections for John Whitmire’s open state Senate seat

Molly Cook, an emergency room nurse, and state Rep. Jarvis Johnson, D-Houston, are facing facing each other in a special election to replace former state Sen. and Houston Mayor John Whitmire in Senate District 15. (Credit: Campaign websites)

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The race to succeed Houston Mayor John Whitmire in the Texas Senate has narrowed to a runoff between state Rep. Jarvis Johnson and emergency room nurse Molly Cook — but first, the two Democrats are duking it out in a sleepy special election to decide who occupies the seat through the start of next year.