(Texas Scorecard) – U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner of Houston died Tuesday night in a hospital in Washington D.C. hours after he attended President Donald Trump’s address to Congress.
An official cause of death has not been released. However, some reports suggest Turner had a medical emergency and was transported to the hospital where he died.
Turner was first elected to represent Texas House District 139, which includes parts of Houston, in 1988. He served in the state capitol for 27 years before being elected as Houston Mayor for an 8-year tenure.
In 2025, Turner joined the U.S. House representing Texas’ 118th congressional district. Turner replaced the late U.S. Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire recognized Turner during Wednesday’s city council meeting.
“Not many people know how close Sylvester and I [were],” Whitmire said. He ordered flags be flown at half-mast on city buildings.
Turner was a lifelong Democrat who, in recent years, supported more funding for Ukraine and many leftwing priorities.
In his last post on X, Turner accused Trump and Elon Musk of trying to cut Medicare.
As mayor, Turner worked with Lou Weaver, a woman who claims to be a man, to establish Houston’s first LGBT task force. He also signed an executive order to include LGBTQ-certified businesses in the city’s procurement process.
In a statement, the Houston Police Officers’ Union described Turner as a “steadfast advocate for our city” and said they mourned his loss.
“He served his community faithfully, not only as a member of Congress but as a former state legislator and a mayor of Houston,” said U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Gov. Greg Abbott ordered flags in the state flown at half-mast to honor Turner’s life and public service.
“From his time as State Representative to Mayor of Houston, and finally representing Texas’ 18th Congressional District, Congressman Turner leaves behind a legacy of service to our great state,” stated Abbott. “Congressman Turner will be missed, and our prayers go out to his family and loved ones during this time of grief.”
The governor will soon set a date for a special election to fill Turner’s seat in Congress for the remainder of his term.