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Rep. Sylvester Turner dead at 70 after lifetime of service
We have learned former mayor of Houston and U.S. Congressman Sylvester Turner has died at age 70. We take a look back on his lifetime of service.
HOUSTON - Congressman Sylvester Turner has passed away at the age of 70.
Rep. Turner was elected to Texas' 18th Congressional District in November.
What happens to Texas' 18th Congressional District?
What's next:
Per the U.S. Constitution, House vacancies are only filled via special elections.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott will call a special election to fill Turner's seat.
The special election is typically held to coincide with a regularly scheduled election date.
The next regularly scheduled election is May 3, 2025.
In order to be elected, a candidate must receive the majority of votes. If no candidate receives the majority of votes, it will go to a runoff election.
Any candidates wishing to run for the vacated seat must file an application for a spot on the ballot.
Until the election, the district's offices will continue to represent the people of TX-18 by offering constituent services.
Sylvester Turner
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Sylvester Turner speaks after winning TX-18 seat (2024)
Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner delivers remarks after being elected to Texas' 18th Congressional District.
The backstory:
Turner was elected to represent Texas' 18th Congressional District in the November 2024 election.
The district includes much of inner-city Houston and the surrounding areas.
Before Turner, the seat was held by late-Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Lee represented the district from 1995 until July 2024, when she died of pancreatic cancer.
Turner previously served as the mayor of Houston for eight years after being elected in 2015, reaching his term limit. He was in office from Jan. 2, 2016, to Jan. 1, 2024. Before that, he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1989 to 2016.
He also announced in 2022 he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer, in his jaw during the summer. He had surgery and received six weeks of radiation treatment.
Turner defeated Republican Lana Centonze in the 2024 election.
Turner was chosen to be the party's nominee by local Democratic precinct chairs.
The Source: Information in this article comes from Texas Election Code and previous FOX 26 coverage.