U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas hopes to become Houston’s next mayor.
“I hope I’ve been a humble servant for you for 28 years—many of you are in my district,” Jackson Lee said on Sunday. “Sheila Jackson Lee wants to come home to be your mayor—for the city of Houston. I will not be able to do it without every one of you.”
The 73-year-old Congresswoman, who has served as a member of the House since 1995, is one of six candidates vying to replace Mayor Sylvester Turner. Turner’s seat is up for grabs in the November election because he has reached his term limit.
The Congresswoman, who represents Texas’s 18th Congressional District, will not be required to vacate her seat while running for mayor.
Jackson Lee stepped down from her position as chair of the Crime Subcommittee after reports of the lawsuit, and her office released a statement that denied any wrongdoing.
Early Frontrunner
Democrat state Sen. John Whitmire is reportedly the race’s early frontrunner.“I will be tough but smart on crime, keep our economy growing and ensure city services are working for all Houstonians,” says Whitmire, who serves as chair of the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee.
Whitmire was re-elected in 2022 with more than 65 percent of the vote against Republican George Brian Vachris.
The office of the mayor is a non-partisan position.
Prior to her election to Congress, Jackson Lee served two terms as an At-Large City Council Member for the City of Houston from 1990-1994. Before serving on the city council, she was an Associate Municipal Court Judge for the City of Houston from 1987-1990.
If Jackson Lee fails to win the mayoral seat, she will be eligible to run for another term in Congress in November 2024.