Abbie Kamin
Abbie Kamin | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Houston City Council | |
| Assumed office January 2, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Ellen Cohen |
| Constituency | District C |
| Personal details | |
| Party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Tulane University |
| Occupation | Civil rights attorney |
Abbie Kamin is an American politician and civil rights attorney who represents District C on the Houston City Council in Houston, Texas. She was first elected in 2019, and re-elected in 2023.
Early life and education
Kamin was born in Houston; her grandparents owned a small business in the area, and her father is also a small business owner. She attended The Emery/Weiner School in Houston and studied at Tulane University. She earned a J.D. degree and practiced law with a focus on general civil litigation and civil rights litigation.[1]
Legal career and advocacy
Kamin worked as a civil rights attorney and served as associate regional director of the Anti-Defamation League’s Southwest Regional Office, where she oversaw civil-rights programming and community partnerships.[1]
Kamin served on the Mayor’s Commission Against Gun Violence prior to joining the city council, contributing to recommendations on gun-violence prevention.[1]
Houston City Council
Kamin ran for the open District C seat on the Houston City Council in the 2019 municipal elections.[2] She advanced from the November 5, 2019 general election to a runoff and defeated Shelley Kennedy in the December 14, 2019 runoff with 59.4% of the vote, taking office on January 2, 2020.[2] District C covers parts of central and west Houston, including areas such as the Heights, Montrose, Meyerland and Greenway/Upper Kirby.[3] She was re-elected in the November 7, 2023 general election, receiving about 73% of the vote against two challengers.[2][4]
She was a prominent advocate for establishing a paid parental leave policy for eligible city employees.[5][6]
County attorney bid
In December 2025, Kamin filed to run for Harris County attorney, triggering Texas' resign-to-run law and prompting her to resign from the Houston City Council District C seat.[7]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Abbie Kamin | 19,552 | 59.4 | ||
| Nonpartisan | Shelley Kennedy | 13,364 | 40.6 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Abbie Kamin | 27,682 | 73.2 | ||
| Nonpartisan | Felix Cisneros | 5,163 | 13.7 | ||
| Nonpartisan | Perata Bradley | 4,961 | 13.1 | ||
Personal life
Kamin was born and raised in Houston, Texas.[1] She is married and has one child.[8][1]
References
- ^ a b c d e "District C: About the Council Member". Houston City Council. City of Houston. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
- ^ a b c "Abbie Kamin". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
- ^ "Houston City Council District C". Houston City Council. City of Houston. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
- ^ "Incumbent Abbie Kamin retains seat for Houston City Council District C". Community Impact. 7 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
- ^ "Houston Women's Commission Releases Six-Month Report; Recommendation for Paid Parental Leave Will Move Forward". City of Houston. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
- ^ "Prof's contribution to Houston Women's Commission results in big gains for paid family leave". University of Houston–Clear Lake News. 14 April 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
- ^ Lomax, John (5 December 2025). "Exclusive: Houston Council Member Abbie Kamin to resign, run for Harris County attorney". Houston Chronicle. Houston, Texas. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ Rodriguez, Barbara (21 April 2021). "How Houston's first pregnant city council member is using her power to enact change". The 19th. Retrieved 23 November 2025.