Rep. Sylvester Turner Dies 2 Months Into His Term

Hours after attending President Trump's speech to Congress, Texas Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner died at the age of 70, reports NBC News. The former Houston mayor was two months into his first term serving Texas' 18th District, a seat previously held by Sheila Jackson-Lee, who died in July. Turner was spotted having a medical episode in the Capitol Tuesday afternoon, was assisted by Capitol Police, and recovered sufficiently to attend the speech. Hours later, he suffered what's being termed a medical emergency and died later in the hospital, reports KHOU. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark announced his death to the caucus Wednesday morning. Turner had previously fought bone cancer in 2022.

Fox News pivots to the future of Turner's seat, which will be filled by a special election that must be called by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. The date will likely be paired with Texas' next election, which is set for May 3. Until a replacement is elected, constituents will continue to be served by the 18th District's office. The district contains much of inner-city Houston and surrounding areas. (More House Democrats stories.)