 Simpson supporters claimed that Woodfill had been lackluster in campaign fundraising and had accented "social issues" as chairman, including a lawsuit against the mayor of Houston, Annise Parker, regarding benefits for same-sex couples working for the city.Emmett has been awarded numerous awards in his career, including being named Transportation Person of the Year by Transportation Clubs International in 2005, receiving the Presidential "Call to Service" Award from president George W. Bush in 2008, and receiving the 2009 Distinguished Public Service Award from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.In 2011, Emmett was named a distinguished alumnus of Rice University.