Erica Lee Carter, daughter of the late U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, has officially filed to run in the special election to complete her mother’s term in the Houston-based 18th Congressional District.
Carter, a Democrat, is one of three candidates running, with the other two being Republicans Maria Dunn and Kevin Dural.
With no other Democrats on the ballot, Carter is positioned to briefly serve in Congress if elected on November 5, acting as a bridge until the next full-term representative takes office.
The special election is necessitated by the passing of Jackson Lee, who served nearly three decades in Congress before succumbing to pancreatic cancer last month.
Carter’s potential term would last until January 5, when the new Congress is sworn in.
On that same November 5 ballot, voters will also decide the representative for the full two-year term, with former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner serving as the Democratic nominee after a tightly contested selection process.
Turner, who edged out former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards by a narrow margin in the Democratic nomination, has publicly supported Carter’s bid for the special election.
“It would be a fitting tribute to the legacy of the congresswoman for her daughter to serve out the remainder of her term,” Turner remarked. Carter and her brother also endorsed Turner ahead of his nomination.
Carter has a history of public service, previously serving as a trustee on the Harris County Department of Education Board from 2013 to 2019 and currently working as a policy adviser to Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis.
Democratic officials in Houston have rallied behind Carter for the special election, with many seeing her candidacy as a continuation of her mother’s legacy.
In the heavily Democratic 18th District, Carter is favored to win the special election. However, she must secure a majority to avoid a runoff, which would delay her swearing-in until after the new Congress convenes.
In a parallel development, a special election will also take place in McLennan County to fill the Texas House seat vacated by State Rep. Doc Anderson, who resigned last week.
The election will feature Republican Pat Curry and Democrat Erin Shank in both the special and general contests.
