Sylvester Turner, former Houston mayor and current Congressman, dead at age 70
HOUSTON — Former Houston mayor and current U.S. Congressman Sylvester Turner has died at the age of 70, according to current Houston Mayor John Whitmire.
Whitmire announced Turner’s passing at the beginning of Wednesday’s City Council meeting.
According to Turner’s family, the former mayor did attend President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress Tuesday night in Washington, D.C. He was then taken to the hospital but was later released. Turner died at his home in D.C. early Wednesday morning from “enduring health complications.”
“Congressman Turner was the consummate public servant. But to us, he was our beloved father, grandfather, sibling, and relative,” the family said in the statement.
RELATED: TIMELINE: Sylvester Turner, from Acres Homes to Congress
“A remarkable public servant who impacted millions of people,” Whitmire said during City Council. “He rose from poverty but never forgot where he came from. It is a terrible loss for the city and a personal loss for me. I ask Houstonians to celebrate his life.”
Turner had also just made an appearance at the RodeoHouston Parade on Saturday morning.
Turner represented Texas’ 18th Congressional District, a historically significant seat once held by civil rights icons such as Barbara Jordan, Mickey Leland, Craig Washington and Sheila Jackson Lee. Following in their footsteps, Turner was committed to advancing the district’s legacy of justice, equity, and transformative public service.
A lifelong Houstonian, Turner was born and raised in the Acres Homes neighborhood. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Houston before obtaining a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. His legal career began at Fulbright & Jaworski, where he worked as a trial lawyer before co-founding Barnes & Turner, a prominent law firm specializing in commercial and personal injury litigation.
Turner served 27 years in the Texas House of Representatives, representing District 139. A bipartisan leader, he spent 21 years on the House Appropriations Committee and six years as Speaker Pro Tem, playing a key role in shaping the state’s fiscal policy.
In 2015, Turner was elected the 62nd Mayor of Houston and was re-elected in 2019. His tenure was marked by significant challenges, including seven federally declared natural disasters, such as Hurricane Harvey and the COVID-19 pandemic. He led the city through complex pension reforms, reducing financial liabilities by billions, and championed initiatives to improve public safety, environmental sustainability, and economic opportunity.
Turner launched Houston’s first Climate Action Plan, committing the city to carbon neutrality by 2050 and reinforcing its role in global energy leadership. He chaired the Global Resilient Cities Network and served as Chair of U.S. Climate Mayors, expanding Houston’s influence in climate policy and urban resilience.
Public safety was a priority under Turner’s One Safe Houston initiative, which addressed violent crime and mental health services. He also focused on quality-of-life improvements through One Clean Houston, targeting illegal dumping, and Complete Communities, a public-private effort to revitalize historically underserved neighborhoods. His Hire Houston Youth program provided over 20,000 jobs to young adults, promoting economic mobility.
Nationally, Turner served as Chair of the African American Mayors Association and was a Trustee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, further establishing his role as a leading voice in urban policy and governance.
Turner was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and continued to reside in Acres Homes. He was the proud father of one daughter and grandfather of one grandson.
KHOU 11’s Len Cannon had a sit-down interview with Turner prior to the election:
Sylvester Turner, Sworn In as U.S. Representative in January, Dies at 70
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A former mayor of Houston, he was in attendance at the president’s speech on Tuesday night but was later taken to a hospital.
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Rep. Sylvester Turner, a Texas Democrat, dies at 70
Rep. Sylvester Turner, a Texas Democrat, dies at 70
WASHINGTON — First-term Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Texas, died Tuesday night after suffering a medical emergency following President Donald Trump’s address to Congress, according to two House Democratic lawmakers who were informed of his death.
He was 70 years old and had just taken the oath of office in January. Turner previously faced bone cancer.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., later Wednesday confirmed Turner’s death in a statement, calling the former Houston mayor an “iconic leader” and a “fighter until the end.”
“The House Democratic Caucus family is shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Congressman Sylvester Turner. Though he was newly elected to the Congress, Rep. Turner had a long and distinguished career in public service and spent decades fighting for the people of Houston,” Jeffries said.
At a closed-door Democratic meeting Wednesday morning, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., announced to colleagues that Turner had died and that his family has been notified, according to one lawmaker who attended the meeting.
Another Democrat who saw Turner in the underground tunnel that connects the Capitol with the Cannon Building said that it appeared Turner was having a medical emergency early Tuesday afternoon. Capitol Police were notified and went to assist him, the lawmaker said.
Several Democratic lawmakers said Wednesday they either saw Turner or spoke to him on the House floor before Trump’s joint address to Congress. Photographs and video from the speech also show Turner seated toward the back of the chamber.
Around 8:30 p.m. ET, shortly before the address began, Turner posted a video on social media with his guest, Angela Hernandez, who was advocating for her daughter who has a rare genetic disorder.
“Angela is here to advocate on the importance of Medicaid,” Turner said in the video. “So please let people know, ‘Don’t mess with Medicaid.'”
Jeffries referenced that video in his tribute to Turner.
“Like those before him, Rep. Turner was a fighter until the end — he was present yesterday evening to ensure that the voice of one of his constituents, who relies on Medicaid, was heard,” Jeffries said. “In what would be his final message to his beloved constituents last night he reminded us ‘don’t mess with Medicaid.'”
Turner was elected to Congress in November and served as mayor of Houston from 2016 to 2024. Before that, he had graduated from Harvard Law School, worked as an attorney in Houston, and then served more than a quarter century as a state lawmaker.
When longtime Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, died of pancreatic cancer last July, Turner, an ally of the congresswoman, announced he would run for her seat and was selected by local Democratic leaders to appear on the November ballot since Jackson Lee had already won her primary that March.
He easily won the seat and was sworn in on Jan. 3. Turner was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Turner’s death means that Republicans now hold a 218-214 majority. Under that breakdown, Republicans can still only afford one GOP defection on any vote if all lawmakers are present and voting.
According to Texas election law, Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, must call a special election to fill the vacancy, but that process could take months.
On social media, tributes poured in for Turner. Fellow Congressional Black Caucus member Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala., said on X that Turner “leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of service as Mayor of Houston and the Representative for Texas’ 18th Congressional District.”
Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, also remembered Turner and his constituents.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, a dedicated public servant who stepped up to take the late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s seat in January,” McCaul wrote on X. “My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, loved ones, and the people of Houston as they grieve yet another loss.”
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on X that Turner “served his community faithfully, not only as a member of Congress, but as a former state legislator and a mayor of Houston. Our prayers are with his family and constituents as they mourn his loss.”
Scott Wong is a senior congressional reporter for NBC News.
Syedah Asghar is a Capitol Hill researcher for NBC News and is based in Washington, D.C.
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