Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Texas) breathed his last late Tuesday after serving only two months and one day in office. He died at the age of 70.
Turner, the former Houston Mayor, was elected in 2024 to succeed longstanding Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of the Houston region after she died while serving.
John Whitmire, who succeeded Turner as mayor of Houston, and Jaime Harrison, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, confirmed his passing. However, the cause of Turner's death is yet to be revealed.
As tributes have started pouring in for the late Houston mayor, netizens expressed shock over his last message to Trump administration. He even attended President Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress the night of his passing.
Speaking to Axios, Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), who was shown door from the House chamber for continuously disrupting Trump’s remarks, said: “We were on the floor together last night. You never know for whom the bell will toll next.” “I’m a little full from losing my friend,” Green added.
Meanwhile, Harrison wrote on X, “I’m so heartbroken to learn about the passing of my dear friend Congressman and former Mayor @SylvesterTurner!”
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Harrison wrote on X, “I’m so heartbroken to learn about the passing of my dear friend Congressman and former Mayor @SylvesterTurner!”
{{/usCountry}}He mentioned that his friendship with Turner started during the DNC Convention Site selection process in 2018. He called him “a visionary leader and advocate.” “I will miss my friend and he will be missed by so many in his beloved Houston, TX. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. May he Rest in Peace!”
Netizens express shock over Turner's last message to Trump govt
In his last post on X, Turner introduced Angela Hernandez from Congressional district as his guest. He revealed that she is “representing and advocating for her daughter Baislee Garcia who has a rare genetic disorder Chromosome 8p: Inversion/Duplication/Deletion.”
In his post, he even asked the Trump administration: “Don’t mess with Medicaid.”
“Let me be clear: any cuts to Medicaid are a direct attack on families like Angela’s. President Trump and Elon Musk’s push to gut Medicaid is nothing short of a betrayal of the most vulnerable among us. They are playing politics with children’s lives, and I will not stand for it.”
“His last words to his constituents were “don’t mess with Medicaid.” RIP,” Art Candee wrote.
“What happened to him? 70 just seems too young,” another commented.
“Man it’s sad, no one should die still working. 70 year olds should be retired enjoying time with their grandkids. Not leading the nation,” a third user said.
“But I think we can all agree we can get rid of the fraud that's in Medicaid, while taking care of those that need it most,” a forth user wrote.
“Yep please don’t take away the Medicaid slush fund, please!” one more chimed in.
Turner served in the Texas state senate for 17 years before winning a seat in Congress. He also served as the city's mayor for eight years.
In November 2022, Turner disclosed that he received six weeks of radiation therapy and underwent surgery following his diagnosis of bone cancer in his jaw.
Following Turner's passing, there are currently three vacancies in the House of Representatives, with 218 Republicans and 214 Democrats. Special elections will take place on April 1 to fill vacancies in Republican-leaning Florida districts.