HOUSTON – It’s been a week since late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee was laid to rest. Hundreds of attendees and dignitaries paid their respects and noted how large a footprint she left in Houston and the shoes in the 18th congressional district (a position she held for decades) still need to be filled.
MORE: Here are the Democrats seeking to replace U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee | Governor Abbott sets special election date for Sheila Jackson Lee’s seat
Recommended Videos
Many big names in Houston have stepped up to take that mantle including former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, and Councilmember Letitia Plummer. However, another name might be tossed into the ring, Jackson-Lee’s daughter, Erica Lee Carter.
According to an emailed press release, Erica “has been recently asked by community leaders and Democratic party supporters to consider running.” And now, those requests may be fulfilled because we’re told she is “strongly considering running.”
Since 2020, she has worked for Harris County Pct. 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis but Erica is “no stranger to the public sector,” having recently worked in federal, state, and local government positions as well as in nonprofit sectors.
RELATED: Friends and family share memories at Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s funeral
Erica is also a product of Houston’s public schools but graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before getting her masters in public policy from Duke University.
The late congresswoman’s daughter is expected to announce if she’ll run in the November 5 Special Election next week. There’s also a general election that same day and we don’t know yet who will be on the ballot to run in Jackson Lee’s place. The Harris County Democratic Executive Committee has to decide who that person is before the end of the month.
It gets a little confusing, but here’s how it would all work:
Whoever wins the special election will replace Jackson Lee until Congress convenes on January 3, 2025. However, whoever wins the general election will be sworn in on that day.