Molly Cook (born June 7, 1991)[1] is an American registered nurse and politician who is a member of the Texas Senate for the 15th district. A Democrat, she was elected in a May special election to fill the vacancy from John Whitmire resigning to become Mayor of Houston. Cook is openly bisexual,[2] and her win in the May special election was the first time an openly LGBTQ+ person was elected to the Texas Senate.[3][4] She is also the first woman to represent the 15th district of the Texas Senate.[3]
Molly Cook | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Texas Senate from the 15th district | |
| Assumed office May 16, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | John Whitmire |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 7, 1991 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Texas at Austin (BSN) Johns Hopkins University (MPH/MSN) |
Early life and education
editCook was born in Houston, Texas.[2] She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas at Austin as well as a Master of Public Health and Master's of Science in Nursing from Johns Hopkins University.[5]
Political career
editCook first ran for the Texas Senate against Whitmire in the Democratic primary election in 2022, positioning herself as a more progressive option.[6] She lost with 42% of the vote in the primary, Whitmire's closest margin since the early 1990s.[7]
Cook ran again in 2024, both in the general and special election to fill the vacancy caused by Whitmire's election to serve as Mayor of Houston. She advanced from the primary to a runoff with State Representative Jarvis Johnson. She won the May 4 special election, defeating Johnson, and will fill the remainder of Whitmire's unexpired term until January.[3] She went on to narrowly win the Democratic primary runoff for a full term on May 28.[8]
Personal life
editCook supports abortion, saying, “In 2014, I had an abortion. Abortion is a medical procedure and a personal choice. Our Legislature’s role is to make sure abortions are safe, accessible and stigma-free for every Texan".[9]
References
edit- ^ Cook, Molly [@Mollyfortexas] (June 7, 2023). "Today is my bday, so here are a couple pics from the last year♥️ I am marinating in the love of my family and community today. I'm in my happy place at the ER, because y'all know how much I honestly enjoy working. I am proud of myself and proud of my community" (Tweet). Retrieved May 5, 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ a b c Zavaleta, Lourdes (February 2024). "LGBTQ Candidates on the March 5 Primary Ballot". OutSmart Magazine. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
- ^ a b c Harris, Cayla (May 5, 2024). "Houston's Whitmire to seek state Senate seat". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
- ^ "First Texas LGBTQ+ state senator elected". www.advocate.com.
- ^ Abrahams, Tom (March 26, 2024). "UH alum John Whitmire's new mayoral role spurs first fight for Texas Senate seat in decades". ABC 13. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
- ^ Mitchell, Isaiah (February 2, 2022). "Education, Crime, Transportation Divide State Sen. John Whitmire, Primary Challenger Molly Cook". The Texan. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
- ^ Scherer, Jasper (March 2, 2022). "Houston's Whitmire to seek state Senate seat". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
- ^ Cheng, Yilun (May 29, 2024). "ER nurse Molly Cook defeats Jarvis Johnson in race for John Whitmire's Texas Senate seat". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
- ^ Carter, Simone (May 25, 2022). "Their Bodies, Someone Else's Choice: How Texas Offers a Preview of Life After Roe v. Wade". Dallas Observer. Retrieved May 5, 2024.