Former Opponent Endorses Mayor Parker for Re-Election

You know the saying, “politics makes for strange bedfellows?”

That thought must be reverberating in the minds of many Houstonians this week as they started receiving invitations in the mail for Mayor Annise Parker’s first re-election campaign kick-off fundraiser.  

The invitation includes a surprising endorsement from the Mayor’s former political opponent, Houston Attorney Gene Locke.

On the surface it seems like an unlikely alliance – considering they faced off in a heated runoff race in 2009

But that was then and this is 2011. 

Over the past several months Parker and Locke have apparently found common ground.

“Annise Parker is bringing Houstonians together to solve our toughest challenges,” states Locke’s endorsement on the invitation.

The invitation also includes words of praise from former Houston Mayor Bob Lanier, who endorsed Locke during 2009 mayoral race.

The April 6th event is expected to help build the Mayor’s already hefty campaign war chest. 

While she has suffered a handful of  bitter losses to city council  during her first term, she’s also scored some impressive victories.

The Mayor seems poised to run on a record of responsible leadership during a time of economic challenges facing the city. Her solutions have included employee furloughs, layoffs and streamlining of all city departments.

  

Don’t worry if you can’t afford to contribute to the Mayor’s campaign for a second term. Sources in her camp tell me that they are working on plans for a public kickoff event on April 23rd at Discovery Green. Details are still TBA.