Tributes have been pouring in for Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner of Texas since he died this week shortly after attending President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress.
Turner died on Wednesday at at his home in Washington, D.C. the age of 70 just two months into his term as a member of the House of Representatives. He announced in 2022 that he had been treated for bone cancer and was cancer-free. His cause of death remains unknown.
“This comes as a shock to everyone,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire told the Houston City Council on Wednesday. “I would ask Houstonians to come together, pray for his family, join us in celebrating this remarkable public servant. Celebrate his life, which we will be doing.”
Turner’s last post on X, formerly Twitter, was a rebuke of Trump’s policies, posted minutes before the president’s speech on Tuesday. “Don’t mess with Medicaid,” he said.
Here’s what to know about Turner as those who knew him in Texas, Washington, D.C., and beyond pay tribute to him.
Born and raised in Houston, Turner spent the majority of his life in the city he represented as a politician.
“He rose from poverty but never forgot where he came from,” Whitmire said Wednesday. “It is a terrible loss for the city and a personal loss for me.”
His family said in a statement that they were “requesting fervent prayers from all who knew and loved him.”
“Congressman Turner was the consummate public servant,” they said. “But to us, he was our beloved father, grandfather, sibling, and relative.”
Turner served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives for almost 30 years between 1989 and 2016.
Turner then served as the mayor of Houston between 2016 and 2024 before he announced his candidacy to fill a Congressional seat left by the death of Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee in July at the age of 74. She had been battling pancreatic cancer for several months.
Lee was a member of the House for almost 30 years, serving between 1995 and 2024.
Turner was elected in November to fill Lee’s seat, and his term began in January.
On Thursday, the Texas House of Representatives voted unanimously, 148-0, to allow Turner to lie in honor at the Texas State Capitol.
According to the resolution passed, Turner will lie in honor at the Hall of the House of Representatives on March 13 and 14 next week. Turner served as the Speaker Pro Tempore for the 78th, 79th and 80th Texas State Legislatures.
Following the news of his passing, politicians from across the aisle mourned Turner.
“Brenda Gail and I are heartbroken by the passing of my friend Sylvester Turner,” wrote Republican Texas Rep. Randy Weber. “He was a devoted public servant who cared deeply for Houstonians. Just last night, we spoke on the House Floor − life is too short.”
California Rep. Pete Aguilar, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, called Turner’s death tragic. “He wasn’t here very long, but his tenure will be felt by everyone,’’ Aguilar told USA TODAY.
Alabama Rep. Terri Sewell, a fellow member of the Congressional Black Caucus, told USA TODAY that “all of us are reeling’’ from the news.
“He may have only been a colleague for a short period of time, but he’s left such an indelible imprint on our caucus,’’ Sewell said. “He was an amazing mayor. Sheila Jackson Lee’s footsteps are hard to fill. He filled them and really made his own imprint and we will miss him.”
Rodney Ellis, a Harris County Commissioner in Houston, told USA TODAY that he was devastated by the news of Turner’s passing.
Ellis had known Turner since they were both teens living in the Houston area.
“We carried numerous legislative proposals together, covered one another’s backs, stirred up a lot of good trouble together, made some differences,” Ellis said.
Contributing: Riley Beggin and Deborah Barfield Berry
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
