Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has emerged as the Democratic nominee to run for the U.S. House seat left vacant by the late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Turner secured the nomination with a 41-37 vote in a runoff against Amanda Edwards, a former Houston City Council member, according to reports.
Turner’s nomination comes after Jackson Lee’s passing last month at the age of 74, following a battle with pancreatic cancer. The congresswoman had announced her diagnosis in June, acknowledging that the road ahead would be challenging.
Turner will face off against Republican candidate Lana Centonze in the general election in November. However, this election is separate from the special election called by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to fill Jackson Lee’s seat for the remainder of her term, which ends in January. Turner has opted not to run in the special election.
Meanwhile, Jackson Lee’s daughter, Erica Lee Carter, has announced her candidacy for the special election. In a statement, Lee Carter expressed her desire to complete her mother’s term and uphold the values that her mother fought for.
“I want to finish for my mom,” Lee Carter said. “The people of the 18th Congressional District re-elected my mother to the 118th Congress to protect their interests and uphold our democratic values.”
Candidates have until August 22 to file for the special election, which will determine who will fill Jackson Lee’s seat for the remainder of her term.
