Landry Rhodes
Running for office may not have always been a part of
the plan, but sometimes when the needs are great enough
are when true leaders rise up. Molly Cook had initially
never seen herself taking up the role of a leader, however
she has always had a passion for helping those in need. Her
helpful spirit and passionate energy has taken her all the
way from the medical chaos of the emergency room to the
more emotional chaos of the Texas Senate. And being one
of the only openly LGBTQ+ members of the Senate of one
of the most conservative states in the country, she intends
to open doors for generations that were never possible just
decades ago.
Molly definitely emerged as an outsider in Texas politics.
Holding a master’s degree in public health policy, she began
a steady career as an ER nurse. She fell in love with the
emergency room, however it was in this field where she first
saw the struggle of the common man against the system at
large. Her shifts became filled with people stuck in poverty
stricken environments and constantly fighting with social
services that were underfunded and ill-prepared, and Molly
noticed that these systems were designed that way from the
top down. A few men were making the rules for everybody,
and that was not acceptable for her. Something had to be
done, and to Molly, real change comes from the grassroots.
She began working with Democratic campaigns and
local advocacy groups, fighting for better healthcare
access like improved disability services and accessibility
to public buildings. She spoke with members across her
neighborhood and learned the deeper impacts of the
policies of the state government. From this experience she
was able to begin campaigns for broader policy goals, such
as the Fair for Houston campaign, a 2023 ballot initiative
that propelled Houston to increase their representation
in the regional governing coalition or otherwise withdraw
that passed by a 30-point margin. From there, she also ran
a group of organizers fighting against the expansion of
I-45, fearing it would tear down people’s homes and entire
communities. Through all of her organizing experience
however, Molly would realize that the fight against the
system would only grow stronger.
The regional coalition, HGAC, rejected the city’s
proposal to increase Houston’s representation on their
council, however the city renewed it’s membership, and
to make matters worse, TxDOT approved the plan for
widening I-4, threatening several acres of wildlife and
hiking trails. Again and again, Molly continued to face
the frustration of the back and forth fighting the system.
But then came the opportunity that would change Molly’s
path and introduce her to the world of public service.
In December of 2023 John Whitmire was elected as the
Mayor of Houston, requiring him to vacate his current seat
in the Texas Senate. Molly knew that constantly fighting
with the system was effective at keeping peace, but to make
real change, leaders need to rise when the occasion needs
them to, and threw her hat in the ring. Throughout her
campaign, she focused on her long standing connections
with the Houston metropolitan area and fighting for
better conditions all across the board. After securing a spot
in the runoff elections for the democratic nomination,
Molly overcame a nearly 8,000 vote lead to win the
special election last May, as well as the nomination three
weeks later. She handedly won the general election that
November.
In the time between the May special election and the
November General election, Molly knew this small
window could provide a massive opportunity to show
how well-represented her district would be. Whitmire, her
predecessor, was frequently criticized for his support of
the I-45 widening project as well as his more conservative
stances in the Senate. Molly knew she wanted to project
a difference in her office to reflect more power to the
people that brought her to office. She has hosted nine
legislative workshops in her just six months in office,
providing comprehensive 1:1 knowledge on what the
legislature is and what it does so that people will want to
be more involved in government. To her, every person in
her district is a constituent whether they voted for her or
not, and is worthy of good service and connections with
her community to get the job done.
As a lawmaker, Molly has always looked up to the queer
figures of the past such as Barbara Jordan. Molly has
noted that people in her community were often pressured
to conceal their relationships publicly out of fear of
persecution, and is proud to follow in her footsteps as an
open bisexual woman thanks to those courageous fighters
of the past. To her, when other lawmakers enter the room
and shake her hand, they have to look her in the eyes and
accept her as part of their body, and this will help normalize
LGBTQ+ people in the legislature and across Texas in
general. And ahead of her first full term of office, she is
ready to hit the ground running with an office already well
established in the halls of the Senate.
Hardy Haberman
