DEMOCRATIC Congressman Sylvester Turner has died at age 70, hours after he issued a warning to the Trump administration about making cuts to Medicaid.
Turner, who was elected to Texas‘ 18th Congressional District in November, died on Wednesday in a Washington DC hospital.
One Democrat told NBC News that Turner had a medical emergency in the underground tunnel that connects the Capitol with the Cannon Building.
Several Democratic lawmakers told the outlet they either saw or spoke to Turner on the House floor before President Trump’s address to Congress.
“It’s my duty as the mayor to confirm that Congressman Sylvester Turner, a former mayor, state representative for 24 years, passed away last night,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said during a council meeting on Wednesday.
Whitmire said Turner was working in Washington DC before he suffered a medical emergency and was rushed to the hospital.
“This comes as a shock to everyone. I would ask Houstonians to come together. Pray for his family, join us in celebrating this remarkable public servant. Celebrate his life, which we will be doing,” Whitmire added.
“Not any people know how close Sylvester and I was. As recently as two weeks ago we were together as friends, as public servants.”
A cause of death was not immediately disclosed.
TURNER’S FINAL MESSAGE
Turner, who joined the 119th Congress in January, delivered a strong message to the Trump administration minutes before the president’s remarks to members of Congress on Tuesday evening.
In what turned out to be his final X post, he warned Trump not to “mess with Medicaid.”
Turner stood by his guest, Angela Hernandez, for the president’s address to Congress.
In the video, the Congressman explained how Hernandez was there to “advocate for the importance of Medicaid.”
Hernandez went on to detail how her 2-year-old daughter suffers from a rare genetic disorder.
“My daughter is Baislee Garcia. She’s 2 years old, she has a rare genetic disorder, Chromosome 8p: Inversion/Duplication/Deletion,” the mother from Turner’s district in Houston said.
“[It] causes a lot of developmental and medical challenges. So, losing Medicaid would be devastating to us.”
Turner then chimed in, saying, “So, please let people know, don’t mess with Medicaid.”
In his X post, Turner accused President Trump and his billionaire pal Elon Musk of “playing politics” with children’s lives.
Statement from the Office of Congressman Sylvester Turner
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Congressman Sylvester Turner, who died peacefully today at the age of 70.
Born on September 27, 1954, in Houston’s Acres Homes neighborhood, Congressman Turner dedicated his life to public service and the betterment of his community. He graduated as valedictorian from Klein High School in 1973, earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Houston in 1977, and obtained a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1980. In 1983, Turner co-founded the law firm Barnes & Turner, specializing in corporate and commercial law. His political career began in 1988 when he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives for District 139, a position he held for 27 years. During his tenure, he served 21 years on the House Appropriations Committee and six years as Speaker Pro Tempore, playing a pivotal role in shaping state fiscal policy and balancing multiple budgets.
In 2015, Turner was elected as Houston’s 62nd mayor and was re-elected in 2019. As mayor, he led the city through significant challenges, including seven federally declared natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2025, Turner continued his public service by representing Texas’s 18th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives serving on the powerful House Homeland Security and Science, Space and Technology Committees. Throughout his career, he was known for his bipartisan leadership, dedication to his constituents, and unwavering commitment to improving the lives of all Houstonians.
Congressman Turner is survived by his loving family, devoted staff, and numerous friends who cherished his wisdom, humor, and steadfast dedication to public service.
“Let me be clear: any cuts to Medicaid are a direct attack on families like Angela’s,” he wrote.
“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.”
The key moments from Trump’s first Congress address…
- Petty Democrats refuse to stand as Trump enters the room
- Representative Al Green is thrown out just minutes into the address
- Republicans give suited Elon Musk a standing ovation as Trump applauds his DOGE efforts
- Trump slams ‘total mess’ that he inherited from Biden
- Democrats hold signs protesting the Trump administration and walk out during his address
- Trump doubles down on reciprocal taxes coming April 2
- Tells politicians he’s ‘reclaiming’ the Panama Canal
- Trump reveals a surprise letter he received from Zelensky and insists Russia has given him ‘strong signals’ they are ready for peace
NEWLY ELECTED CONGRESSMAN
Turner died just weeks after being sworn into Congress.
He won election in November, succeeding Sheila Jackson Lee.
Jackson Lee died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 74 in July 2024.
Turner died more than two years after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer in his jaw.
His diagnosis came in June 2022 after going to the dentist with a toothache, per the Texas Tribune.
Turner disclosed his cancer battle in his State of the City address in November 2022.
His daughter Ashley didn’t know he had been diagnosed with the illness.
Turner had only told her he had a growth on his jaw.
CAPITOL HILL MOURNS SYLVESTER TURNER
Tributes have been paid to Turner from across the world of politics.
“I’m so heartbroken to learn about the passing of my dear friend Congressman and former Mayor Sylvester Turner,” Jaime Harrison, the former chair of the Democratic Party, wrote on X.
“We became friends during the DNC Convention Site selection process in 2018.
“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.”
Robin Kelly, who represents Illinois‘ second congressional district, described Turner as “compassionate.”
“He made a lasting impact on the state of Texas, and leaves behind a legacy that will never be forgotten,” she said.
Debbie Dingell, who represents Michigan‘s 6th congressional district, described Turner as a “colleague and a friend” in her own social media tribute.
Turner’s death means there are 218 Republicans and 214 Democrats in the House, with three vacancies.
The 18th district must now hold a special election to determine who will serve the remainder of Turner’s two-year term.
Special elections are also scheduled to take place in two vacant Republican-leaning districts in Florida.
