Molly Cook

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Molly Cook

| image = Molly Cook for SD15.jpg

| caption = Cook at a campaign event in Austin, Texas

| state = Texas

| district = 15th

| state_senate = Texas

| term_start = May 16, 2024

| term_end =

| predecessor = John Whitmire

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|6|6}}

| birth_place = Houston, Texas, U.S.

| education = University of Texas at Austin (BSN)
Johns Hopkins University (MPH, MSN)

| party = Democratic

| website =

}}

Molly Cook (born June 6, 1991){{Cite tweet |number=1666126353320620045 |user=Mollyfortexas |title=Today is my bday, so here are a couple pics from the last year♥️ I am marinating in the love of my family and community today. I'm in my happy place at the ER, because y'all know how much I honestly enjoy working. I am proud of myself and proud of my community. |date=June 7, 2023 |access-date=May 5, 2024 |first=Molly |last=Cook}} 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,{{cite web|url=https://www.outsmartmagazine.com/2024/02/lgbtq-candidates-on-the-march-5-primary-ballot/|title=LGBTQ Candidates on the March 5 Primary Ballot|last=Zavaleta|first=Lourdes|date=February 2024|access-date=May 5, 2024|website=OutSmart Magazine}} and her win in the May special election was the first time an openly LGBTQ+ person was elected to the Texas Senate.{{cite web|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/houston-whitmire-senate-seat-19437490.php|title=Houston's Whitmire to seek state Senate seat|last=Harris|first=Cayla|date=May 5, 2024|access-date=May 5, 2024|website=Houston Chronicle}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.advocate.com/politics/texas-molly-cook-lgbtq-senator|title=First Texas LGBTQ+ state senator elected|website=www.advocate.com}} She is also the first woman to represent the 15th district of the Texas Senate.

Early life and education

Cook was born in Houston, Texas. 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.{{cite web|url=https://abc13.com/john-whitmire-mayor-houston-university-alumn-march-madness-final-four-texas-senate-runoff/14569614/|title=UH alum John Whitmire's new mayoral role spurs first fight for Texas Senate seat in decades|date=March 26, 2024|access-date=May 5, 2024|last=Abrahams|first=Tom|website=ABC 13}}

Political career

Cook first ran for the Texas Senate against Whitmire in the Democratic primary election in 2022, positioning herself as a more progressive option.{{cite web|url=https://thetexan.news/state/legislature/87th-session/education-crime-transportation-divide-state-sen-john-whitmire-primary-challenger-molly-cook/article_77a540f7-e630-5690-8175-32926fdc7ebf.html|title=Education, Crime, Transportation Divide State Sen. John Whitmire, Primary Challenger Molly Cook|date=February 2, 2022|access-date=May 5, 2024|last=Mitchell|first=Isaiah|website=The Texan}} She lost with 42% of the vote in the primary, Whitmire's closest margin since the early 1990s.{{cite web|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/State-Sen-John-Whitmire-leads-Democratic-primary-16969917.php|title=Houston's Whitmire to seek state Senate seat|last=Scherer|first=Jasper|date=March 2, 2022|access-date=May 5, 2024|website=Houston Chronicle}}

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. 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/houston/article/molly-cook-jarvis-johnson-texas-senate-19447235.php|title=ER nurse Molly Cook defeats Jarvis Johnson in race for John Whitmire's Texas Senate seat|last=Cheng|first=Yilun|date=May 29, 2024|access-date=May 29, 2024|website=Houston Chronicle}}

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change|title=2024 general election: Senate District 15}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Molly Cook (incumbent)|votes=199367|percentage=61.83}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Joseph L. Trahan|votes=123081|percentage=38.17}}

{{election box end}}{{Election box begin no change|title=2024 Democratic primary: Senate District 15}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|candidate=Jarvis Johnson|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=17,953|percentage=36.2}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|candidate=Molly Cook (incumbent)|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=10,213|percentage=20.6}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate=Todd Litton|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=7,859|percentage=15.8}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate=Michelle Bonton|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=5,291|percentage=10.7}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate=Alberto Cardenas Jr|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=5,196|percentage=10.5}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate=Karthik Soora|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=3,091|percentage=6.2}}

{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no change|title=2024 special general election: Senate District 15}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Molly Cook|votes=9,370|percentage=57.1}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Jarvis Johnson|votes=7,052|percentage=42.9}}

{{election box end}}{{Election box begin no change|title=2022 Democratic primary: Senate District 15}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=John Whitmire (incumbent)|votes=26,286|percentage=58.4}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Molly Cook|votes=18,695|percentage=41.6}}

Personal life

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".{{cite web|url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/their-bodies-someone-elses-choices-how-texas-offers-a-preview-of-life-after-roe-v-wade-14046326|title=Their Bodies, Someone Else's Choice: How Texas Offers a Preview of Life After Roe v. Wade|date=May 25, 2022|access-date=May 5, 2024|last=Carter|first=Simone|website=Dallas Observer}}

She is openly bisexual.