Daughter Seeks to Finish Mother's Term

HOUSTON (AP) — Erica Lee Carter, the daughter of the late U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, has officially entered the race to complete her mother’s congressional term following Jackson Lee's death from pancreatic cancer last month. Carter submitted her candidacy paperwork by the Thursday deadline for the upcoming special election, where voters will select a representative for Houston's congressional district. She is running as a Democrat, mirroring her mother’s long-standing political affiliation. In addition to Carter, two Republican candidates are also competing for the position, although the district is known to lean heavily Democratic. The special election is scheduled for November 5, coinciding with the election to determine who will serve a full two-year term in the district. Earlier this month, former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner was selected by local Democratic precinct chairs as the party’s nominee for the full term. Sheila Jackson Lee had already secured the Democratic nomination for what would have been her 16th term before her passing on July 19. If Carter is successful in the special election, she will serve until the new Congress convenes in January. In her candidacy announcement, Carter expressed her commitment to continue her mother’s legacy, stating, “I will fight with her passion and ferocity for the people of the 18th to regain their representation in the fight for justice, equality, healthcare, human rights and economic opportunity for all.”