Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner of Texas, a former Houston mayor and veteran public servant, died unexpectedly late Tuesday night, mere hours after attending President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress. Turner, who had been sworn into his first term in the House just two months ago, was 70 years old. His sudden passing has sent shockwaves through Capitol Hill and his Houston community. Turner’s final hours unfolded against the backdrop of a high-profile congressional event. On Tuesday evening, he joined fellow lawmakers in the House chamber to hear President Trump deliver his first address to Congress since reclaiming the presidency. The speech, a 100-minute outline of Trump’s ambitious second-term agenda, drew a packed audience of legislators, dignitaries, and guests. Turner was present throughout, seated toward the back of the chamber, as captured in photographs and video footage from the night. Earlier that day, Turner had been active on Capitol Hill, engaging with constituents and colleagues. Around 8:30 p.m., he posted a video on X from outside his Washington office, introducing his guest for the address, Angela Hernandez, a mother from his Texas 18th Congressional District. Hernandez’s daughter, Baislee Garcia, suffers from a rare genetic disorder, Chromosome 8p: Inversion/Duplication/Deletion, and relies on Medicaid for treatment. In the video, Turner’s voice was firm and resolute as he delivered what would become his final public message: “My message to the current administration for tonight’s State of the Union: ‘Don’t mess with Medicaid.’” It was a pointed critique of proposed cuts to the program, a cause Turner had championed throughout his career. But sometime after the speech concluded, Turner’s health took a sudden turn. According to sources familiar with the events, he began feeling unwell late Tuesday night. Capitol Police were notified of a medical emergency involving the congressman, and he was rushed to a hospital. After treatment, he was released to his home, where he passed away early Wednesday morning. The exact cause of death remains unclear, pending an official statement from his office or family. Turner had previously battled osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer, diagnosed in 2022, undergoing surgery and radiation treatment. He had declared himself cancer-free in 2024 during his congressional campaign, but no immediate link between his past illness and his death has been confirmed. Sylvester Turner’s death marks the abrupt end of a remarkable journey in public service. Born and raised in Houston, he rose from humble beginnings to become a towering figure in Texas politics. After earning a law degree from Harvard, he served 27 years in the Texas House of Representatives, where he earned a reputation as a fierce advocate for the working class and a skilled negotiator, even as a Democrat in a Republican-dominated legislature. As chair of a budget subcommittee, he wielded significant influence over funding for criminal justice and public safety. In 2015, Turner was elected mayor of Houston, leading the nation’s fourth-largest city through crises like Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and the COVID-19 pandemic. His tenure, which ended in 2024 due to term limits, was lauded for its focus on resilience and equity, though not without controversy. When Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a political ally and longtime holder of Texas’s 18th District seat, died of pancreatic cancer in July 2024, Turner stepped up to carry on her legacy. Elected […]