Supporters of former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner launched “Sylvester Turner For Congress” signs in the air as the final votes from Democratic precinct chairs were tallied by a district-wide chair of the Harris County Democratic Party, Linda Bell-Robinson, on Tuesday night.
Turner secured the Democratic nomination in a nail-biter of a runoff against fellow top contender former At-Large Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards with 41 votes to Edwards’ 37.
“We’ve got some work to do between now and November,” Turner said to the crowd after his victory. “Let’s make sure that we turn Texas blue. It’s my hope that the 18th congressional district will lead the way.
“Everything that I said are promises I made,” he added. “I look forward to working with everybody, every community, every nationality. Regardless of where you come from or your socioeconomic status, move the 18th congressional district forward.”
Turner said that the race for the late congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s seat was “personal,” not political. He told meeting goers at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church’s community center that carrying out her legacy was his top priority. Jackson Lee died in July after a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
“I can’t replace the congresswoman, but I think I can make one hell of a difference in the lives of those who need us.”
Turner will be on the ballot in November, running against Republican nominee Lana Centonze in the general election. The former mayor gave a nod to Jackson Lee’s daughter, Erica Lee Carter, saying he would be happy to run this race next to the “congresswoman.”
There will also be a special election to fill out the rest of Jackson Lee’s term ending in January.
Carter recently announced her entrance into the special election to fulfill the remainder of her mother’s term.
“It’s so important to have someone ready to take on what my mother was trying to carry,” Carter said. “She loved him like a brother but worked with him like a fighter, and there’s no one else you want in the fight to have your back like Sylvester Turner.”
Carter then addressed her efforts to serve in the roughly month-long interim.
“It would mean so much so much to her [Jackson Lee]. She always pushed me and encouraged me,” Carter added. “She does support women leaders, young leaders, and her love for me and her grandchildren — to see me do this would mean everything.”
The pool of individuals up for consideration was whittled on Tuesday night by 79 precinct chairs to six nominees, including Turner, Edwards, state representatives Jarvis Johnson and Christina Morales (D-Houston), Houston City Council member Leticia Plummer, and Houston business owner and chef Robert Slater.
Edwards and Turner went neck and neck in the first round, as Turner led with 35 votes to Edwards’s 34. However, neither got a majority — 40 votes — needed to be considered the party’s nominee. Johnson, Morales and Plummer never tallied more than five votes, and Slater was the sole nominee to receive no votes.
Nancy Sims, political science lecturer at the University of Houston, said she was surprised by the number of votes that went Edwards’ way. She noted that the final vote turned out as expected, with Turner as the nominee, but by a smaller margin than anticipated.
“He’s been involved in Houston politics forever and knows people. He had a great relationship with the congresswoman, and he’s worked at the district from when he was a state representative until now,” Sims noted. “I think that all of that adds up to him having strength among the decision-makers.”
“I think you have to look at the people making the decision. It’s not a general election. It’s not a general electorate. It’s inside baseball players who have full perspectives,” Sims added. “I understand the other candidates’ attacks on Turner, but at the same time, he’s kind of taken the senior statesman role. Let me do it for four years, and I’ll hand it over to the next generation.”
Community members and several fellow contenders have spoken out about concerns they have regarding Turner’s health following his recent bout with cancer. The former mayor admitted there was a time when he was not going to pursue the nomination but that his doctor encouraged him to do it.
Turner said he hoped to continue working on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, bring economic opportunity and community revitalization to the district and provide affordable healthcare to those who need it, among other priorities.
Most importantly, Turner noted he wanted to take after the late congresswoman by not being just a legislator but a boots-on-the-ground leader.
He confirmed on Tuesday night that he would serve a maximum of two terms saying he wanted to assist younger generations, teach them, equip them and then watch them serve the district.
“If you look at this holistically, and particularly, take what’s going on in the county, you’re getting a picture that I think is emerging,” said Rice University political science professor Bob Stein. “Turner wants to hold the seat, and I think what they want to do is hold it for another preferred candidate.”
Stein added that Democratic leaders may be looking for a congressional candidate because some party members disapprove of the former mayor.
“I think they see the congressional seat — of course, Jackson Lee held for nearly 30 years — as a very powerful influence in the city,” he said. “You have to look at the totality. My guess is there’s a lot more at play here than meets the eye.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
