Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Files for Reelection After Houston Mayoral Defeat

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) speaks at a press conference calling for the expansion of the Supreme Court in Washington on July 18, 2022. Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Take Back the Court Action Fund

Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas hopes to keep her seat after losing her bid to become Houston’s next mayor.

Ms. Jackson Lee, who has held Texas’ 18th Congressional District seat since 1995, filed paperwork for reelection on Monday morning, hours ahead of the 6 p.m. deadline.

The filing comes two days after the 73-year-old was defeated in a landslide by Democratic state Sen. John Whitmire, who walked away with 64 percent of the vote in the Houston mayoral runoff election.

Ms. Jackson Lee’s office did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment.

Ms. Jackson Lee’s district inside Houston is safely a Democratic seat, but with the race well underway, a win may not come as easily to her as it has in past elections.

The longtime Congresswoman will face a primary challenge against Democrat Amanda Edwards, a former Houston city councilwoman.

Earlier this year, Ms. Edwards, 41, was running for Houston mayor, but she dropped out after Ms. Jackson Lee announced she was vying for the position. Ms. Edwards then announced she would go after the congressional seat currently held by Ms. Jackson Lee.

Shortly after Ms. Jackson Lee filed paperwork for reelection, Ms. Edwards told voters it was “time for change” in a post on social media.

“It’s Time for Change. Since I announced my candidacy to serve the 18th Congressional District, I have been to every corner of the district. One thing remains clear: our community is ready for change. We need to bring new ideas to the table to solve the lingering challenges we face and to help the community realize its full potential,” Ms. Edwards wrote on X on Monday.

“This race is about the people of the 18th Congressional District and the impact they want to see. Let’s roll up our sleeves and win this election so that the community can get what it deserves.”

Since launching her campaign in June, Ms. Edwards has brought in more than $1.33 million in fundraising, according to the latest filings with the Federal Elections Commission.

Between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, Ms. Jackson Lee recorded significantly less, with $53,777 in total receipts. The congresswoman reportedly had about the same amount of cash on hand from her mayoral campaign, according to Politico. However, federal laws prevent her from moving those funds over to her congressional campaign.

Ms. Edwards ended the third quarter with over $829,000 cash on hand compared to Ms. Jackson Lee’s $213,000.

Ms. Edwards has also garnered national endorsements from Democratic groups, including the Brady PAC and the Collective PAC, among others.

Democrat Isaiah Martin, who had jumped into the congressional race amidst Ms. Jackson Lee’s run for mayor, announced on Monday that he was no longer in the race for Ms. Jackson Lee’s seat.

“When I first set out to run for Congress, I was very clear that this decision was not about me,” Mr. Martin said in a news release posted on X. “As a nation, we must be laser-focused on flipping the House and electing more good Democrats — not primarying Democrats who deliver. This singular objective is bigger than any one person, any seat, or any ambition.”

He called on the Democratic party to unite along with his endorsement for Ms. Jackson Lee.

“Our party must have unity; with so many federal dollars available to bring back to our district, we need to send Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee back to Washington to represent Houston and get things done,” Mr. Martin continued. “Having served for 28 years, she has a lot of seniority, meaning it will be a lot easier for her to bring back federal funding than any freshman member.”

The House primary election in Texas is set for March 5.