Molly Cook
Molly Cook | |
|---|---|
| File:Molly Cook at Massachusetts State House on Aug. 5, 2025 during Texas walkout over redistricting.jpg Cook in 2025 | |
| Member of the Texas Senate from the 15th district | |
| Assumed office May 16, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | John Whitmire |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 6, 1991 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Education | |
| Website | Campaign website |
Molly Cook (born June 6, 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]
Early life and education
[edit | edit source]Cook 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
[edit | edit source]
Cook 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 election for the term beginning January 14, 2025, and in the special election to fill the vacancy caused by Whitmire's election to serve as Mayor of Houston. On March 5, 2024, she advanced from the Democratic primary to a runoff with State Representative Jarvis Johnson. She then won the May 4 special election to fill the remainder of Whitmire's unexpired term.[3] On May 28, she went on to narrowly win the Democratic primary runoff to advance to the general election, where she defeated Republican candidate Joseph L. Trahan with 62% of the vote.[8]
Electoral history
[edit | edit source]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Molly Cook (incumbent) | 199,367 | 61.8 | |
| Republican | Joseph L. Trahan | 123,081 | 38.2 | |
| Total votes | 322,448 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jarvis Johnson | 17,953 | 36.2 | |
| Democratic | Molly Cook (incumbent) | 10,213 | 20.6 | |
| Democratic | Todd Litton | 7,859 | 15.8 | |
| Democratic | Michelle Bonton | 5,291 | 10.7 | |
| Democratic | Alberto Cardenas Jr | 5,196 | 10.5 | |
| Democratic | Karthik Soora | 3,091 | 6.2 | |
| Total votes | 49,603 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Molly Cook | 9,370 | 57.1 | |
| Democratic | Jarvis Johnson | 7,052 | 42.9 | |
| Total votes | 16,422 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Whitmire (incumbent) | 26,286 | 58.4 | |
| Democratic | Molly Cook | 18,695 | 41.6 | |
| Total votes | 44,981 | 100.0 | ||
Personal life
[edit | edit source]Cook 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
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External links
[edit | edit source]
- 1991 births
- 21st-century American women politicians
- American bisexual women
- American bisexual politicians
- American nurses
- American women nurses
- Bisexual women politicians
- Democratic Party Texas state senators
- Johns Hopkins School of Nursing alumni
- LGBTQ state legislators in Texas
- Living people
- Nurses from Texas
- People from Houston
- University of Texas at Austin alumni
- Women state legislators in Texas
- 21st-century nurses
- 21st-century American LGBTQ people
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health alumni
- 21st-century members of the Texas Legislature