Alejandra Salinas And Dwight Boykins Headed to Runoff for Houston City Council

Houston attorney Alejandra Salinas got the most votes in a crowded city council race, but she’ll have to face off against former Councilman Dwight Boykins in a December 13 runoff. 

Boykins, a lobbyist and consultant, served as District D’s representative from 2014 to 2019 and made an unsuccessful bid for mayor in 2019. The winner of the At-Large Position 4 contest will fill the unexpired term of Letitia Plummer, who resigned to run for Harris County judge. The term extends through January 1, 2028. 

Salinas said Wednesday morning she’s ready to move forward. 

“I am incredibly grateful to those who voted for me and will work hard every day to earn the votes of those who didn’t,” she said. “No matter who we are or what part of town we live in, we all deserve better roads, safer neighborhoods, more flood protection and an affordable city with good-paying jobs.” 

Boykins did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

The final numbers posted Wednesday morning at Harrisvotes.com show the following results: 

Alejandra Salinas: 37,942 votes (21.21 percent)

Dwight Boykins: 35,878 votes (20.06 percent)

Jordan Thomas: 28,610 votes (16 percent)

Sonia Rivera: 18,987 votes (10.62 percent)

Angie Thibodeaux: 11,719 votes (6.55 percent)

Martina Lemond Dixon: 7,923 votes (4.43 percent)

Sheraz Mohammad Siddiqui: 6,664 votes (3.73 percent)

Miguel Herrera: 5,949 votes (3.33 percent)

Kathy L. Tatum: 5,428 votes (3.03 percent)

J. Brad Batteau: 5,023 votes (2.81 percent)

Cris Wright: 3,927 votes (2.2 percent)

Ethan Hale: 3,782 votes (2.11 percent)

Al Lloyd: 3,484 votes (1.95 percent)

Adrian Thomas Rogers: 3,471 votes (1.94 percent)

At a Houston Progressive Caucus forum on October 4, Jordan Thomas, Salinas and Boykins debated local issues and shared their thoughts on recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. Salinas spoke about how a relative, who is a U.S. citizen, was detained by ICE for several hours. 

“It is unconscionable what is happening right now in this country,” she said. “What ICE is doing is [unacceptable]. On City Council, I will stand up every single day and speak out against it. We cannot just stay silent and hope that President Trump will not come to Houston. I will always stand up for immigrants. They are the base of our community.” 

Houston Progressive Caucus, which promotes policies that support the working class, endorsed Thomas and recommended Salinas. An endorsement means the candidate is fully aligned with the HPC’s platform; a recommendation means the candidate is “clearly better for working people than the alternatives.”

Thomas, Plummer’s former chief of staff, also earned the endorsement of the Houston Chronicle editorial board, which said that “having Thomas at City Hall would help make [John] Whitmire a better mayor.” 

Salinas, a partner at Susman Godfrey LLP, campaigned on making Houston a safer and more affordable place to live. She said the city’s permitting process must be streamlined in order to make housing more affordable.    

“Houston families are watching their budgets with concern, unsure about inflation, job security, secure retirements, healthcare and more,” Salinas says on her campaign website. “Our city is facing the same economic uncertainty, driven in part by the chaos in Washington, D.C., and a hostile state government. Now more than ever, city leaders should level with voters and make financial decisions that are transparent and sound for the long-term health of the city.” 

Boykins has touted his experience as the only candidate in the race who served as a Houston City Council member. 

“You can have all these ideas about what you want to do, but you have to have a working relationship with the mayor, the agenda director and your colleagues on the city council,” Boykins said at last month’s forum. “I have that experience and I understand how to bridge coalitions between Democrats, Republicans and Independents to get your city services addressed.” 

Houston ISD

Three candidates elected Tuesday to the Houston ISD Board of Trustees won’t have any voting power because the Texas Education Agency took over the school board in 2023, appointing a superintendent and a handpicked board of managers. The elected board, however, will regain power when the state takeover ends. 

Two of the three candidates elected Tuesday — Maria Benzon and Michael McDonough —  were endorsed by the Harris County Democratic Party, even though school board trustees are nonpartisan. 

Incumbent Bridget Wade, endorsed by the Republican Party and a darling of TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, narrowly defeated Dr. Audrey Nath in the District VII race. 

District V

Maria Benzon: 12,310 votes (63.05 percent)

Robbie McDonough: 7,214 votes (36.95 percent)

District VI

Michael McDonough: 7,139 votes (60.41 percent)

Kendall Baker: 4,679 votes (39.59 percent)

District VII

Bridget Wade: 9,617 votes (54.09 percent)

Audrey Nath: 8,164 votes (45.91 percent)

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