"Changing Tides: Houston's Runoff Election Shakes Up Mayoral Race"

Houston, the fourth-largest city in the U.S., is on the verge of electing a new mayor in a runoff between state Sen. John Whitmire and U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, both in their 70s, despite the city's demographic trend of becoming younger. This has frustrated some voters, particularly younger ones, who feel disconnected from older candidates. While Whitmire and Jackson Lee have promised to include the perspectives of younger voters, reaching out to and engaging younger voters remains a challenge. Issues important to younger voters, such as reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ rights, have been largely absent from the mayoral race, leading some to question the impact of local elections on these issues.