Her mother would be proud!
Erica Lee Carter, the daughter of late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, was just sworn into office to finish her mother’s term, Click 2 Houston reports. Jackson Lee held her position in Congress for nearly three decades, from 1995 until her passing from pancreatic cancer in July 2024 at the age of 74. Lee Carter won a special election for her mother’s seat in Congress and took the oath of office at a ceremony held in Washington, D.C., this past week.
A pillar in the community and a stalwart for her District in Texas, Jackson Lee leaves behind a lasting legacy. Her daughter thanked voters for the opportunity to serve in her mother’s stead and promised to finish the work she set forth.
“Thank you to the voters of the 18th Congressional District of Texas for entrusting me with the remainder of the term for the 118th Congress. I am honored to finish for you and in the memory of my mother, the late great Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. I am ready to stand up and work for you. I look forward to collaborating with Speaker Mike Johnson, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and all of my Congressional colleagues on the important issues facing the United States House of Representatives on behalf of the American people,” said Lee Carter in a statement.
She will serve the remainder of her mother’s term until January when former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner will assume the new role. The appointment marks the first time in U.S. history that a woman has replaced her mother in Congress.
Cover photo: Erica Lee Carter, Daughter of Late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Makes History as the First Woman to Replace Her Mother in Congress/Photo credit: Erica Lee Carter/The Washington Post