Erica Lee Carter Seeks To Finish Late Mother’s Term In Congress

Source: General / Radio One

Erica Lee Carter, the daughter of the late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, hopes to carry on her mother’s legacy by finishing out her term in the 18th Congressional District of Texas. Sheila passed away on July 19 after a hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer.

“I want to finish for my mom,” Erica said in a statement, according to NBC News. “The people of the 18th Congressional District reelected my mother to the 118th Congress to protect their interests and uphold our democratic values,” she added. “Congresswoman Jackson Lee kept their interests in her heart and mind until the very end.”

With the late congresswoman’s term set to end on Jan. 3, 2025, Erica will fight for her mother’s seat, a position the 74-year-old Democrat held for nearly three decades. On Nov. 5, there will be a special election to fill the remainder of Sheila’s current term. Candidates for this special election must file for consideration by Aug. 22, according to the Texas Tribune. 

Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner was selected as the Democratic nominee to potentially succeed Sheila. 

While Erica intends to serve out the remainder of her late mother’s term, she is not pursuing a full term of her own. Instead, former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is positioned to contend for the permanent seat in the upcoming general election, which is separate from the special election. On Aug. 13, members of Texas’s 18th Congressional District selected Sylvester as the Democratic nominee to succeed the late U.S. Rep. when her 2025 term ends.

At 69 years old, Turner will face Republican Lana Centonze on the Nov. 5 ballot, and he has a strong chance of winning. The Democrat secured the nomination by garnering the most support from local Democratic precinct chairs during a party meeting in Houston, ABC News reported. He also completed an eight-year term as Houston’s mayor in January, a position that left a profound impact on city residents.

Sylvester and Sheila shared a strong political bond throughout the years. He endorsed her candidacy for mayor in 2023, and they both champion similar progressive goals for Houston. Sylvester has pledged to secure essential funding to support and uplift underserved communities, continuing the work Sheila was known for in bringing millions of federal dollars to Houston for flood control, health care and public safety. Additionally, Sylvester supports legislation aimed at protecting women from domestic violence, establishing federal abortion rights, safeguarding LGBTQ rights, and enhancing transparency in policing.

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