- United States
- Texas
- Letter
The people of Texas' 18th Congressional District deserve full representation in Congress. By failing to schedule a special election to fill the vacant seat left by the late Congressman Sylvester Turner, Governor Greg Abbott is denying citizens their voice in the crucial decisions being made in the House of Representatives. This delay is particularly concerning as hurricane season approaches and the district needs strong advocacy. While special elections are typically scheduled to coincide with regular election dates for efficiency, past precedent shows Abbott can call one quickly when circumstances demand it. He set a special election just 4 days after a vacancy in Texas' 34th District in 2022. With a slim Republican majority in the House, some speculate Abbott is intentionally dragging his feet to avoid a Democratic pickup that could further narrow the margin. However, this partisan gamesmanship is unacceptable when it comes at the cost of disenfranchising nearly 800,000 Texans. As representatives of the people, we must put constituents first. I urge Governor Abbott to uphold his constitutional duty and immediately schedule a special election for TX-18 to reinstate their representation without any further delay. The people's voice in our democracy should not be subject to political calculations.
