A Texas Democratic Representative, Sylvester Turner, who just served in the House as a first representative, died on Wednesday after he battled a medical condition that came after the Congressional Address by President Donald Trump.
Rep. Sylvester Turner died at the age of 70 and had just resumed office in January. He was a former mayor of Houston and a lawmaker in the state; he had earlier survived fighting bone cancer.
Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., the minority leader of the House, paid tribute to Sylvester Turner, calling him a fighter until the end and an iconic leader.
Katherine Clark, D-Mass., the minority whip of the House, made the announcement about Turner’s death when the Democratic representatives were in a closed-door meeting, mentioning that Turner’s family was aware of his passing.
According to a fellow lawmaker, Turner appeared to be in medical distress early Tuesday afternoon while in the underground tunnel connecting the Capitol to the Cannon Building. Capitol Police were immediately alerted and assisted him.
The police in the Capitol were immediately called to the medical problem as they provided assistance to him.
Turner’s death will leave a painful impact on his fellow lawmakers in the Capitol, who appreciated his lifelong dedication to serving the public. His death came just a month after he resumed duty at the Congress, marking a major blow for the Democratic Party and Texas.
