Former Houston Mayor and U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner and the late U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee — colleagues, friends and proud Houstonians — often spoke of a shared goal to serve the city they loved. Turner,

Houston Mayor John Whitmire referred to former mayor Sylvester Turner as the "best he had to follow" as he welcomed those outside of City Hall Tuesday morning to pay their respects to the late congressman.

Turner’s death comes two months into his first term representing Texas’ 18th Congressional District, the seat long occupied by former U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who also died in office last year amid a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Former Houston Mayor and U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner has died at 70. The Houston native had served 27 years in the Texas Legislature and eight years as his home city's mayor. He became representative for the 18th Congressional District after U.

A spokesperson for Democratic U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner of Texas says he has died just two months after taking office and hours after attending President Donald Trump's address before Congress.

The congressman served as Houston mayor for eight years before he was elected to the House in November to fill the seat held by longtime Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who died in July. Prior to becoming mayor,

The longtime public official and champion of Houston died Wednesday in Washington, D.C., from “enduring health complications,” his family said.