Houston's next mayor has big city problems to fix. Familiar faces want the job

Houston’s next mayor will tackle many challenges similar to ones faced by other large U.S. cities: crime, crumbling infrastructure, budget shortfalls and a lack of affordable housing. Early voting for the Nov. 7 mayoral election starts Monday. Eighteen candidates are seeking to replace Mayor Sylvester Turner, who has served eight years and is prevented from running again by term limits. The top two contenders already have had long political careers in Houston: U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and state Sen. John Whitmire. With such a crowded field, it’s unlikely any candidate will get 50% of the vote on Nov. 7 and avoid a runoff.