Sen. Sylve Star Turner (D-Texas), former Houston mayor who won a seat in the council in November, has replaced Sen. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), who passed away Tuesday night. He was 70 years old.
House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (DN.Y.) confirmed Turner's death Wednesday morning.
“The House Democrat Caucus family is shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Rep. Sylvester Turner,” Jeffries said in a statement. “He was newly elected to Congress, but Rep. Turner had a long and prominent career in public service and had decades of fighting for the people of Houston.”
Turner was at the Capitol on Tuesday night for President Trump's speech to a joint Congressional meeting. Texas Democrats I posted a video to x He made comments on Medicaid protection along with his guests for a speech that night.
“So let people know, don't ruin Medicaid,” Turner said in the video.
meanwhile announcementTurner died Wednesday morning and Houston Mayor John Whitmire said lawmakers were taken to hospital Tuesday night.
“It is my duty as mayor, former mayor, Rep. Sylvester Turner, to confirm that the state representative had passed away last night for 24 years. He worked in Washington, he was taken to hospital and he passed,” Whitmire said.
Turner's death has no effect on the House of Representatives' vote margin. In a full attendance party-affiliated vote, Republicans still lose one member and can afford to clear the measure.
Turner, who served as mayor of Houston for eight years from 2016 to 2024, won the race to represent Texas' 18th Congressional District in November, filling the seat Jackson Lee had held for nearly 30 years. Jackson Lee's children supported Turner for their work.
Before the general election, a local principals' meeting chose Turner and chose to become a candidate for the race.
Prior to serving as mayor of Houston, Turner was a member of the Texas House of Representatives, serving from 1989 to 2016.
“As representative of Texas' 18th Congressional District, Sylvester followed the sacred footsteps of pioneers like the great Barbara Jordan and his late sister, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee,” Jeffries said in a statement. “We're all joining the Texans, standing on the shoulders of these incredible giants, lamenting the enormous loss of another iconic leader.”
“Like the people before him, Senator Turner was a fighter until the end. He attended yesterday evening to ensure he heard the voices of his members who were dependent on Medicaid,” he added. “Last night, his final message to the final voters reminded us, “Please don't ruin Medicaid.” ”
