Congressman Sylvester Turner, a newly sworn-in member of the U.S. House of Representatives, passed away at age 70 on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, as confirmed by multiple sources.
Turner, a Democrat, served as the Mayor of Houston, Texas for eight years before his Congressional tenure. He passed away the morning after attending President Donald Trump’s joint session of Congress address.
Turner held the position of Representative for Texas’s 18th congressional district, a role he assumed in January. He succeeded Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who lost her life to pancreatic cancer in July 2024.
According to the Courthouse News Service, Turner succumbed to a lengthy battle with bone cancer, dying in a Washington hospital. In 2022, Turner publicly announced that he had been treated for osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer in his jaw, and had declared himself cancer-free during his Congressional campaign.
Turner’s sudden passing left his fellow Congressional members in shock, many of whom had been in his company at the Presidential address the night before. On Tuesday, a video posted on Turner’s social media account showed him in Washington, D.C., for the presidential address.
The House Democratic Caucus expressed deep sadness and surprise at the loss of Turner, recognizing his long-standing dedication to the Houston community, as reported by KCCI.
Turner’s public service career spanned nearly 27 years in the Texas House of Representatives before assuming the mayoral office of Houston in 2016. He led America’s fourth-largest city through various significant challenges, including the disastrous flooding from Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
The family of Jackson Lee had endorsed Turner as her successor for the predominantly Democratic district, a region encompassing a significant portion of inner-city Houston. Turner emerged victorious in the November 2024 election and was inaugurated in January 2025.
In the wake of Turner’s passing, Texas Governor Greg Abbott is expected to announce a special election to fill the now-vacant 18th congressional district seat. As per Fox26Houston, “The special election will be held on May 3, 2025, the next regularly scheduled election date. Candidates wishing to run for the seat must file an application for a spot on the ballot, and the winner must receive the majority of votes.”
Until a new representative is elected, the district offices will continue to provide constituent services, supervised by the Clerk of the House of Representatives.
Turner’s loss alters the balance in the closely divided House of Representatives. As reported by Courthouse News Service, “Turner’s death leaves the House at a 218-214 split, giving Republicans one extra vote of breathing room in the upcoming legislative contest over the federal budget.”
Although Turner’s Congressional career was short, lasting just two months, his public service legacy extends over three decades, solidifying his status as one of Houston’s most influential political figures.
Upon Jackson Lee’s death in July 2024, Turner, then serving as Houston’s mayor, lauded her legacy. “Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner also paid tribute to Jackson Lee, praising her work in underserved communities and her tireless efforts to serve the people of Houston,” as per Houston Public Media.
Throughout its history, the 18th congressional district has been represented by notable Democratic politicians, including Barbara Jordan, the first Black woman elected to Congress from the South, and Jackson Lee, who held the seat for almost 30 years, from 1995 until her death in 2024.
As news of Turner’s death spread, accolades from colleagues across the political spectrum began to pour in, acknowledging his decades of public service to Houston and Texas.
