Potential Black candidates to fill Texas’ 18th Congressional District after deaths of Reps. Turner, Jackson Lee

Texas’ 18th Congressional District is currently without representation following the consecutive deaths of two former U.S. representatives in less than a year. Former U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, 70, died after a medical emergency on March 5, serving only two months in office after succeeding longtime Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who died of pancreatic cancer on July 19, 2024.

Now, a crop of declared and potential candidates to succeed the historic Texas seat is emerging as the district awaits Gov. Greg Abbott to set a special election.

“The 18th Congressional District is a legacy seat, not just in Texas, but across the country…especially over the last four to five decades. We’ve had major civil rights icons and trailblazers hold that seat,” Jamarr Brown, former executive director of the Texas Democratic Party, told theGrio. In addition to Reps. Turner and Jackson Lee, Brown noted previous seat holders like Barbara Jordan (the first Black woman from the South elected to Congress), Mickey Leland, Craig Washington, and Jackson Lee’s daughter, Erica Lee Carter, who succeeded her mother after her death in the seat for two months.

Texas-18, which covers the city of Houston, is one of the country’s most diverse districts, composed of sizable Black, Hispanic, AAPI, and LGBTQ populations. Given that, Brown says whoever takes over the seat must continue to champion the civil rights of constituent groups and maintain its tradition of having a “heart of service.”

“You knew Sheila Jackson Lee’s cell phone number, you knew Sylvester Turner’s cell phone number if you are from Houston and lived in that district,” said Brown. “If you called them and said that your Social Security check was missing or that you were trying to get access to a passport…they knew who you needed to call.”

The current executive director at Color of Change PAC continued, “They all had a heart for being on the ground with people. They held food drives and clothing drives, back-to-school festivals and cookouts and those sorts of things.”

As the Trump administration moves to make massive cuts to federal funding, including attempts to dismantle agencies like the Department of Education, Brown said the residents of Texas-18 will also need a “fighter” in Washington, D.C., who will be “showing up and fighting every day to ensure that they they can mitigate harm that’s being done to people.”

So far, several Black candidates have either announced their campaign to represent the 18th Congressional District or indicated interest in exploring a run. Here’s what you should know about the working list of hopefuls.

Menefee resigned from his position as the top prosecutor in Harris County, the largest county in Houston, to pursue the 18th district seat. He was notably the first person in the race to declare their candidacy. In a campaign video announcing his candidacy, Menefee touted his efforts as the Harris County attorney to protect district residents.

“I spent my time in office standing up to the bullies. I stood up to scammers stealing people’s homes and polluters poisoning our air and water. I stood up to Greg Abbott when he came for our voting rights, and I stood up to Donald Trump because we can’t let him take us back right now,” said Menefee, who was the first Black American and youngest person elected as Harris County attorney.

He continued, “Trump and his billionaire friends are making life harder for all of us. They’re driving up the cost of groceries, rent, and gas. They want to slash Social Security and leave working people with nothing after a lifetime of hard work. We need a government that actually works for all of us, not just the wealthy and well-connected.”

He wrote on Instagram, “Our community deserves someone who will protect Social Security, champion access to healthcare, and make life more affordable. That’s what I’m in this race to do.”

Before becoming county attorney, Menefee practiced commercial litigation and bankruptcy in federal court at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He also worked at Norton Rose Fulbright, where he focused on business litigation in federal and state courts, foreign corruption, and other matters involving the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Edwards is no stranger to the ballot for Texas’ 18th Congressional District. She has previously run for the seat, losing to both Jackson Lee and Turner in previous election cycles. Edwards, a former Houston City Councilwoman, told Fox Houston she is running to be “the congresswoman for the community.” Similar to Menefee, Edwards drew her ire at President Donald Trump.

“It’s really important to me that in this time of angst and turmoil that we’re seeing with our rights being attacked, health care and education being under siege by President Trump, that we send someone to Washington who will take a new approach when it’s time to fight for our rights, and who can bring some innovative solutions to the table,” said Edwards. She wrote on X, “We need the next generation of new leaders in Washington to combat Trump’s attacks on jobs, healthcare, and education. The stakes are far too important to stay on the sidelines right now.”

As a former city council member, Edwards is tailoring her candidacy as being a champion of the grassroots community in Houston. As a city councilwoman, Edwards worked on issues related to small businesses, improving infrastructure and disaster recovery.

“The issues we’re fighting for are personal to me,” Edwards said in a campaign video. “These issues, combined with the legacy of fierce advocates in this district fuel the urgency of now. As we enter the next leg of this journey…we must…forge a path forward.”

Cadore, a longtime attorney and D.C. lobbyist, has not officially announced a campaign to represent the 18th district; however, a source with direct knowledge of the matter tells theGrio she is likely to jump in the race. The Houston native is a former staffer to Congresswoman Jackson Lee and has worked as a lobbyist and policy advisor in the energy and oil industry for several years.

According to Politico, Cadore worked on Congressman Turner’s first transition team when he became Houston mayor in 2016 and volunteered on both of his mayoral campaigns. The outlet noted that while in the energy sector, Cadore has specialized in workforce development and increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in the industry.

Cadore, a graduate of the University of Houston Law Center and Spelman College, was crowned Miss Houston in 2013. Her advocacy and philanthropic work have focused on the arts, job creation, and combating homelessness.

In a previous interview with theGrio after Jackson Lee’s death, Cadore shared how the longtime congresswoman offered her an internship when she encountered financial hardship as a student at Spelman. The Texas lawmaker later served as a friend and mentor to Cadore. “She introduced me to an entirely new world in D.C., with the Congressional Black Caucus, and she has guided me ever since that moment,” she told theGrio.

Martin previously ran for Texas’ 18th district seat in 2023 and jumped back into the race to succeed Turner. At 26, he is the youngest candidate in the race, according to Community Impact Newspaper.

According to his campaign website, Martin emerged as a campus leader at the University of Houston when he founded #ForTheStudents and led initiatives focused on campus voting access, food insecurity, and sexual assault support. He also worked with Congresswoman Jackson Lee, whom he considered his “hero.”

Martin, like other candidates in the race, took aim at President Trump in his pitch to voters. “Donald Trump’s done nothing for you; not for your family, not for your paychecks and not for your future. It wasn’t so long ago that he promised you $0 income tax, a $1 and something for gas and $2 eggs,” said Martin in his campaign video. “Since he’s been in office, you’ve got none of that. Prices are up and jobs are down.”

Seemingly calling out his own party, Martin said, “I believe in a Democratic Party that has a spine, a party that stands for something, a party that fights back.” He said sending him to Washington to represent the 18th district would “send Donald Trump a message.” The young candidate added, “If you’re ready for something different, you must choose something different.”

Joseph announced his candidacy last week in a press release, saying that the 18th district needs a “leader who will fight for working families, economic justice, healthcare access, and educational opportunities for all.” According to his LinkedIn, Joseph is a community advocate who currently works as director of Civic Engagement and Community Outreach at the Texas Senate District 13.

“This community shaped who I am, and I am committed to ensuring that every resident has a voice in Washington D.C.,” he said. Joseph’s campaign says that he will focus on “economic opportunities, improving public education, strengthening healthcare access, and addressing systemic injustices that hinder progress.”