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Editor's note: This story will be updated when any candidates enter or exit the race.
Come November, Houstonians will elect a new mayor for the first time in nearly a decade.
But who exactly has stepped up as a contender to lead America’s fourth largest city with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner term-limited from running for reelection?
So far, the Abdelraoufsinno has confirmed 10 declared candidates, ranging from Texas political titans to business owners and local community activists.
And while the official filing period for mayoral candidates to get on the ballot does not begin until July 22, a heated race is already underway between the hopefuls.
Last week, we introduced our plans to create an in-depth mayoral voter guide, a project guided by your questions and concerns for Houston’s next mayor.
This candidate roundup is a step in that process. It is important to note that our list is not necessarily complete. It could — and most likely will — change between now and Aug. 25, the final day for someone to declare themselves as a write-in candidate with the city of Houston.
As we at the Landing become aware of new mayoral candidates, we will update our roundup below.
We encourage residents to help take part in that process by reaching out if you know of any mayoral candidates you do not see included in our list.
Derrick Broze
Derrick Broze is a published author, journalist and community activist running for mayor on a platform of reducing governmental and corporate influence in the lives of Houstonians.
Broze, who first ran for mayor in 2019, hopes to amend Houston’s charter to limit the city’s “strong mayor” model.
In Houston, the mayor is both the chief executive, presiding over all city department heads and ensuring laws are enforced, but also the leader of City Council. The mayor introduces new agenda items and also holds a veto power over legislation.
Broze’s goal is to allow any issue with support of one third of City Council members to be taken up for debate during council meetings.
Defending “health freedom” in the wake of Houston’s COVID-19 response is Broze’s second campaign pillar. He criticized the city’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement for employees and the decision to allow children to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
More information about Broze’s campaign can be found on his website.
Amanda Edwards
Update: Edwards announced on June 19 that she is no longer running for mayor and will instead run for Congress.
Amanda Edwards is a municipal finance attorney who served as an at-large City Council member from 2016 to 2020.
One of Edwards’ campaign platforms includes focusing on ensuring the city government’s fiscal health.
By addressing the city’s impending budgetary shortfalls through policy change, Edwards said during a visit to the Landing’s newsroom, she hopes to bolster a city economy that will help ensure Houston’s diverse communities and neighborhoods can thrive.
As a Council Member, Edwards initiated the city’s Tech & Innovation Task Force, leading to the creation of Houston’s Innovation District.
Edwards also runs a nonprofit geared toward empowering women and senior citizens across Houston.
More information about Edwards’ campaign can be found on her website.
Robert Gallegos
Robert Gallegos has served on Houston City Council since 2013, representing District I.
Gallegos has a stated passion for green spaces in his district and has committed funds to support and enhance neighborhood parks.
Improving public safety and infrastructure are also two of Gallegos’ continued priorities, according to his campaign website.
Gallegos pointed to work he’s done on Council, like allocating funding for police overtime initiatives and investing more than $3.5 million from his district service fund to complete sidewalk and roadway repairs, as evidence of his dedication to these priorities.
Before his time on Council, Gallegos founded the Eastwood/Lawndale Super Neighborhood Council and served as president of his neighborhood’s civic club for 15 years.
More information about Gallegos’ campaign can be found on his website.
Gilbert Garcia
Gilbert Garcia is a financial analyst and managing partner of Gilbert, Hamilton and Associates.
From 2010 to 2016, Garcia chaired the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County.
During Garcia’s tenure at METRO, he oversaw the addition of 15 miles of light rail and a redesign of the city’s bus network.
Garcia hopes to “shake up” city hall, according to his campaign website, pointing to his track record as a reformist while serving as METRO chair.
Garcia plans to achieve that goal by investing in community policing efforts like more training, equipment and civilian staff, and conducting audits of the city’s housing and health departments to address resident concerns.
More information about Garcia’s campaign can be found on his website.
Naoufal Houjami
Naoufal Houjami is an entrepreneur and national security strategist.
Prosperity for all Houstonians is at the core of Houjami’s campaign, according to his website.
He hopes to address Houston’s lack of affordable housing by creating a mortgage payment assistance program and bringing in new developers to build more affordable housing units.
Houjami also plans to invest in equitable access to educational and economic opportunities as a tool to lower rates of crime and gun violence.
More information about Houjami’s campaign can be found on his website.
Sheila Jackson Lee
Sheila Jackson Lee is serving her 13th term as the representative for Texas' 18th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Jackson Lee authored the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which became law in 2022.
Jackson Lee holds a strong commitment to upholding constitutional rights and shaping legislation, according to her campaign website.
She is running for mayor to make a “lasting impact” on Houston.
More information about Jackson Lee’s campaign can be found on her website.
Lee Kaplan
Lee Kaplan is a lawyer and founding partner of Smyser, Kaplan and Veselka, a law firm based in Houston.
According to Kaplan’s campaign website, he plans to “tackle the thorny issues” that concern residents, like crime and traffic.
Kaplan plans to increase the number of Houston Police Department officers and also make changes to their training processes, a move he believes will make Houstonians more secure and save them money.
Streamlining the city’s permitting process and various city services are also included in Kaplan’s campaign priorities.
More information about Kaplan’s campaign can be found on his website.
R.R. Tezino
R.R. Tezino did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this story.
According to his campaign website, Tezino is an educator, manager and program developer who has worked in Houston for more than 30 years.
Tezino is running for mayor to create “epic change” in Houston.
He hopes to champion public safety, education and transportation reforms.
More information about Tezino’s campaign can be found on his website.
John Whitmire
John Whitmire has spent the last 50 years representing Houston and Harris County in the state Legislature, serving 40 of those years in the Texas State Senate.
According to his campaign website, Whitmire wants to use his years of experience to make Houston a better place to work and live.
He plans to be “tough but smart” on crime while supporting economic development geared toward small businesses.
Whitmire believes improving neighborhoods starts with a focus on public safety.
More information about Whitmire’s campaign can be found on his website.
Robin Williams
Robin Williams is a police officer and former Marine who founded a nonprofit geared toward allowing veterans to share their stories and connect with one another online.
Williams plans to focus on enhancing the relationship between police officers and the communities they serve, with a campaign slogan of “Back the blue, but not the bullies in blue.”
In her first 100 days, Williams plans to host listening sessions in different neighborhoods to learn the dynamics and needs of each community.
Along with bridging the trust gap between police officers and community members, Williams also hopes to expand access to public transit and help generate affordable housing.
More information about Williams’ campaign can be found on her website.
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