The city of Houston, TX, and the political community are in mourning following the sudden passing of a Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner just weeks after he took office. 

Turner, who previously served as Houston’s mayor from 2016 up until last year, was remembered as a “remarkable public servant who impacted millions of people,” while never losing sight of his roots. Houston Mayor John Whitmire called his passing “a terrible loss for the city,” adding, “he rose from poverty, but never forgot where he came from.”

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed deep sorrow, saying the House Democratic Caucus was “shocked and saddened” by Turner’s passing.

“Like those before him, Rep. Turner was a fighter until the end—he was present yesterday evening to ensure that the voice of one of his constituents, who relies on Medicaid, was heard,” Jeffries said.

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Turner appeared in good health earlier in the week and even attended President Donald Trump’s rather turbulent joint address to Congress on Tuesday night (March 4). However, unidentified sources told CBS News that he began feeling unwell at some point during the evening. The cause of his death remains unclear.

Just hours before his passing, Turner shared a message on social media about his stance on Medicaid.

“My message to the current administration for tonight’s State of the Union: ‘Don’t mess with Medicaid,’” he wrote on X. 

Turner had been a fierce critic of Trump and Elon Musk’s push to cut Medicaid funding, calling it “nothing short of a betrayal of the most vulnerable among us.”

The congressman’s seat was one of significance having won the November special election following the passing of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee in July 2024. His dedication to public service spanned decades, and his death marks a profound loss for Texas politics.