Democratic Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas successfully defeated former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards in the primary during Super Tuesday. Jackson Lee maintained a significant advantage over fellow Democrat Edwards as she sought re-election to Congress, despite her previous unsuccessful bid for mayor of Houston in 2023. Edwards, who also vied for the mayoral position, withdrew from the race upon Jackson Lee’s announcement of her candidacy.
Since 1995, Jackson Lee has served as the representative for Texas’s 18th Congressional District. By the conclusion of the pre-primary reporting period, she had allocated $225,000 for her re-election campaign. In contrast, Edwards amassed almost $1.5 million for her campaign. Despite this substantial financial gap, Jackson Lee maintained a significant lead, securing only 41 percent of the votes.
According to reports, Democratic State Senator John Whitmire defeated Jackson Lee in the mayoral election by an apparent margin of nearly two to one. The campaign prominently emphasized public safety issues, particularly regarding street safety, and underscored the differing perspectives within the party regarding the most effective approaches to addressing crime.
At a rally, Hillary Clinton endorsed Jackson Lee, commending her determination and activism, stating that these qualities were crucial for the people of Houston. However, despite Clinton’s support and Jackson Lee’s campaign efforts, Whitmire emerged victorious, largely due to his firm stance on crime. Additionally, Jackson Lee’s mayoral campaign faced challenges when an unverified audio recording surfaced in October, allegedly capturing her using profanity and reprimanding staff members.
She expressed her decision to pursue re-election despite her loss in the mayoral race, citing her ongoing commitment to improving the lives of her constituents as her driving force. During her mayoral campaign, her former intern Isaiah Martin initially launched a congressional bid but later halted his campaign and threw his support behind her when she announced her candidacy. Another contender, Robert Slater, withdrew from the race in February 2024 and endorsed Jackson Lee, leaving Edwards as the sole challenger to the veteran congresswoman.
Edwards represents the most significant challenge Jackson Lee has encountered in her 30-year tenure since her initial election. Throughout her 14-term career, Jackson Lee has consistently defeated challengers by wide margins. She is a prominent figure in Houston, recognized for her active involvement in attending constituents’ milestones such as baby showers, graduations, and funerals.
