Fresh off losing the run-off election for Houston mayor by a wide margin, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) announced on Monday that she will run for a 16th term in the House.
“I thought about the many more gifts I have to give to my constituents of the 18th Congressional District,” Jackson Lee, 73, said in a post to X before the deadline to file for the 2024 primary later in the day.
“Those gifts involve more hard work and my ability to get the job done! Together, let’s build on the progress we’ve achieved and work towards an even brighter future for all,” she added.
With Jackson Lee’s decision to seek re-election, Gen Z candidate Isaiah Martin announced that he would be suspending his campaign and endorsing the incumbent.
I thought about the many more gifts I have to give to my constituents of the 18th Congressional District. Those gifts involve more hard work and my ability to get the job done! Together, let's build on the progress we've achieved and work towards an even brighter future for all. pic.twitter.com/DNylOdgfmk
— Sheila Jackson Lee (@SJacksonLee) December 11, 2023
“Our focus must be on flipping the House and electing more good democrats — not primarying great members,” Martin said in a post to X. “I couldn’t be more thankful for all of your support; this isn’t the end of our story; trust me.”
Jackson Lee faced off against Texas state senator John Whitmire, a fellow Democrat, in the runoff for Houston mayor over the weekend after they took the top two spots in last month’s election but failed to reach the 50% threshold needed to win outright at that time.
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During the campaign, Jackson Lee faced controversy with the release of a tape that allegedly contained audio of the congresswoman berating her staff. She also cut a campaign advertisement showing the wrong date for the run-off contest.
The run-off election itself was not close. Whitmire, a tough-on-crime advocate, received roughly two-thirds of the vote to prevail in the contest. In his victory speech, Whitmire appeared to take a shot at Jackson Lee over her leaked audio debacle which she blamed on her opponents.
“People want to go to work for me because we respect people. We don’t bully people,” Whitmire said. “My family taught me to treat people the way you want to be treated, and that works wherever you are, regardless of what community you’re visiting with. Treat these individuals like you want to be treated.”