Governor Abbott Calls Special Election To Fill Sheila Jackson Lee’s Term

On Friday, Governor Greg Abbott announced a special election to determine who will take over the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

According to a press release, the special election will be held on Tuesday, November 5, to determine who will serve out the remainder of the late congresswoman’s term, which ends in January. The special election will occur on the same day as the general election.

A separate general election will be held on the same day for the next two-year Congressional term. The Democratic nominee will be selected by Democratic precinct chairs — not by voters — and will face Republican nominee Lana Centonze.

Centonze, a former federal officer, won the Republican primary for the 18th congressional district in November.

Since the Congresswoman’s death from pancreatic cancer last month, a group of noteworthy candidates joined the pool of potential nominees, including former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, state representatives Jarvis Johnson (D-Houston) and Christina Morales (D-Houston) and former Houston City Council Member Amanda Edwards.

Edwards ran against Jackson Lee in the Democratic primaries in November. She lost to the congresswoman in what was considered the most competitive challenge to Jackson Lee’s seat in the nearly 30 years since she held it.

Other candidates have also announced their intention to be considered, including Houston City Council At-Large Member Leticia Plummer, former Houston City Council member Dwight Boykins and businessman Robert Slater.

Slater, like Edwards, had launched a campaign against Jackson Lee in the November primaries. However, he dropped out of the race and endorsed the congresswoman.

Local, statewide and national lawmakers and community leaders took turns echoing similar sentiments about the “large shoes” Jackson Lee left for the person who would take over representing the district throughout the congresswoman’s memorial services at Fallbrook Church.