The Houston City Council has a new member. Joe Panzarella defeated Nick Hellyar in the District C runoff election Saturday night.
Panzarella, a community organizer who also works in renewable energy, won nearly 65 percent of the vote in District C, which represents Houston’s Meyerland, Heights, Montrose and Oak Forest neighborhoods. His term will run through 2027.
Panzarella and Hellyar faced off in a runoff election after earning the two highest vote shares in a seven-candidate field in April.
Panzarella’s campaign website featured three pillars as its central focus: safe streets, sustainable development and responsible government. Hellyar, a businessman with a focus on real estate, centered his campaign around safe neighborhoods, quality-of-life considerations and the city budget, though his campaign took a different tact in the final days before Saturday’s runoff election.
George Hittner, a Houston attorney and supporter of Hellyar, ran an advertisement in the Jewish Herald-Voice last week, in which Panzarella was criticized for his endorsement from CAIR Action, the political arm of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The advertisement said CAIR “traffic[s] in hate,” adding the group “defends antisemitic attacks,” and is a “terrorist organization.” Hellyar endorsed the advertisement from Hittner.
Panzarella condemmed the advertisement, then noted his commitment to protecting the Jewish community in District C from antisemitism.
“District C is home to Texas’ largest and most historic Jewish community, and I would be proud to represent them,” Panzarella said in a statement, per the Houston Chronicle’s Abby Church. “Representing this district means protecting Jewish families, congregations, schools, and institutions, and standing against antisemitism. I take that seriously.”
CAIR also provided a statement condemning Hittner’s advertisement.
“It is deeply disturbing to see bad-faith actors weaponize misinformation about the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization to undermine a candidate who cares about all people,” the statement said. “Like Joe Panzarella, we want a District C focused on fixing local infrastructure, creating safe streets, and ensuring affordable housing—while aggressively confronting antisemitism, anti-Muslim hate, and all discrimination.”
Panzarella will replace District C councilmember Abbie Kamin, who resigned in order to run for Harris County Attorney (the general election for the position will be held in November). Panzarella will be sworn in for his new role in May.