Who will succeed Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee?
Published July 23, 2024 8:30pm CDT
The City of Houston prepares to honor the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee as a quiet scramble is underway to fill her seat on Capitol Hill. FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan has been looking into who is leaping into the battle and who is not.
HOUSTON - Just beneath the respectful surface of public mourning and private grief surrounding the passing of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a flurry of political maneuvering aimed at succession is well underway.
Multiple well-placed sources tell FOX 26, former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is very seriously considering pursuit of the 18th Congressional District seat previously held by icons Barbara Jordan, Mickey Leland, and for the past three decades, Jackson Lee.
SUGGESTED: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee to lie in state at Houston City Hall
A decision from the former Mayor is expected this week.
Turner, who will turn 70 in September, has mounted a thus far successful battle with bone cancer.
It's likely Democratic Precinct Chairs will pursue information and assurances regarding the former Mayor's health challenges.
FOX 26 has confirmed that a potential Turner candidacy will not go uncontested.
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State Representative and former Houston City Council Member Jarvis Johnson announcing, "he stands ready to provide cohesion and strength while fighting for the 18th District against the Republican regime."
Also, seriously considering a run is longtime Jackson Lee supporter and former District D Councilman Dwight Boykins, who tells FOX 26, his final decision won't come until after the Congresswoman is laid to rest.
Also, said to be seriously pondering a bid is Bishop James Dixon, President of the NAACP's Houston chapter.
Both State Representative Jolanda Jones and Jackson Lee's primary opponent, Amanda Edwards, have been notably quiet regarding the succession process with neither potential candidates publicly announcing a decision to pursue the seat.
Democratic precinct chairs are aiming to select the Congresswoman's replacement by August 18, ahead of the party's national convention.
