Former Houston mayor and first-term Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Texas, has died Tuesday at the age of 70. Turner attended President Trump’s joint address to Congress on Tuesday night, and had just taken the oath of office in January.
The cause of Turner’s death was not immediately clear. The 70-year-old said in 2022 that he had been treated for bone cancer, but declared himself “cancer free” in an interview with the Texas Tribune later that year.
Photographs and video from Trump’s joint address to Congress show Turner seated toward the back of the chamber; shortly before the address began, he posted a video on social media with his guest, Angela Hernandez, who was advocating for her daughter who has a rare genetic disorder. Turner said in the video: “Angela is here to advocate on the importance of Medicaid. So please let people know, ‘Don’t mess with Medicaid.’”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., referenced that video in his tribute to Turner: “The House Democratic Caucus family is shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Congressman Sylvester Turner. Though he was newly elected to the Congress, Rep. Turner had a long and distinguished career in public service and spent decades fighting for the people of Houston. Like those before him, Rep. Turner was a fighter until the end — he was present yesterday evening to ensure that the voice of one of his constituents, who relies on Medicaid, was heard. In what would be his final message to his beloved constituents last night he reminded us ‘don’t mess with Medicaid.’”
Turner graduated from Harvard Law School and worked as an at attorney in Houston, serving more than a quarter century as a state lawmaker, and as mayor of Houston from 2016-2024. After longtime Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, died of pancreatic cancer in July of last year, Turner announced he would run for her seat and was selected by local Democratic leaders to appear on the November ballot (since Jackson Lee had already won her primary that March). He easily won the seat, and was sworn in on Jan. 3.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire said in a statement posted by the City of Houston: “A remarkable public servant who impacted millions of people. He rose from poverty but never forgot where he came from. It is a terrible loss for the city and a personal loss for me. I ask Houstonians to celebrate his life.”
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on X: “We’re saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Congressman Sylvester Turner, who represented Texas’s 18th District. He served his community faithfully, not only as a member of Congress, but as a former state legislator and a mayor of Houston. Our prayers are with his family and constituents as they mourn his loss.”
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