Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) announced Friday that the special election to fill the vacancy left by the late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee will be held on Nov. 5, the same day as the general election.
Candidates who wish to have their names placed on the special election ballot must file their applications with Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson’s office by Aug. 22, Abbott said in the announcement.
Jackson Lee represented Texas’ 18th District, which includes most of inland Houston, for nearly three decades. The deputy died earlier this month, aged 74.
His family revealed his death in social media platform, but did not specify a cause. The news came just over a month after Jackson Lee announced that she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was undergoing treatment.
Jackson Lee was first elected to the House in 1994. She served on the House Judiciary’s Homeland Security and Budget Committees. The Texas Democrat also introduced legislation, which President Biden signed in 2021, that made June 16 a federal holiday.
Biden flew to Texas this week to visit Houston City Hall, where Jackson Lee is in the state. Shortly after her death, he honored her as a “great American” who was “always fearless” in a statement. Vice President Harris delivered remarks at her funeral on Thursday.
A group of bipartisan lawmakers also honored the late congresswoman as an advocate for change and “fighter” for justice following news of her death.
Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, State Representative Jarvis Johnson and Houston Councilwoman Letitia Plummer were considered potential candidates in the special election, the Texas Tribune reported last month.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
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