Jackson Lee’s children endorse former Mayor Turner

HOUSTON – the Houston chronicle reports that the late U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s family endorsed former Mayor Sylvester Turner in the race to replace the congresswoman on the November ballot. A week ahead of the nomination meeting where Jackson Lee’s replacement will be selected, Jackson Lee’s children, Jason Lee and Erica Lee Carter, announced they are supporting Turner, a longtime friend and ally of their mother, in his bid to succeed her. “We have no doubt Mayor Turner will carry on our mother’s legacy of service because we’ve witnessed it almost our entire lives,” Lee and Lee Carter wrote in a Monday statement. “Our mother had no greater partner than Mayor Turner and he honors her with his willingness to dutifully and humbly serve as a sturdy bridge to the next generation of leadership for the historic 18th Congressional District of Texas.”

Turner, a native of Acres Homes, served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1989 until he was elected Houston mayor in 2015. He left City Hall at the end of last year after two terms as Houston’s top official. Jackson Lee died from pancreatic cancer last month after representing the 18th Congressional District for three decades. Since her passing, a number of candidates have confirmed their intentions to run. Besides Turner, former council member Amanda Edwards, council member Letitia Plummer and state Rep. Jarvis Johnson, among others, have also entered the race. Turner recently said the passing of his friend and the unique circumstances of this race were the only factors that could pull him out of retirement, adding district constituents needed “stability and continuity in leadership” at this critical juncture. Jackson Lee secured a decisive primary victory in March against challenger Edwards. With no time to hold a new primary ahead of the November general election, the Harris County Democratic Party has tasked its 88 precinct chairs who live in the district to meet on August 13 to select a new nominee. Candidates are set to make their pitches to party leaders during a flurry of events in the coming days. Gov. Greg Abbott also called a separate special election for Nov. 5 to fill the rest of Jackson Lee’s current term, which ends in January.