Erica Lee Carter
Erica Lee Carter | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 18th district | |
| Assumed office November 12, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Sheila Jackson Lee |
| Succeeded by | Sylvester Turner (elect) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Erica Shelwyn Lee February 2, 1980 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Roy Carter (m. 2012) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Sheila Jackson Lee (mother) |
| Education | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (BA) Duke University (MPP) |
| Website | House website |
Erica Shelwyn Lee Carter[1] (née Lee; born February 2, 1980) is an American politician from the Democratic Party who is serving as the U.S. representative for Texas's 18th congressional district. The daughter of U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, she worked as a teacher and quality coordinator before entering politics, serving on the Harris County Department of Education from 2013 to 2019. In 2016, she ran to replace State Representative Borris Miles but lost when precinct chairs selected Shawn Thierry. After her mother's death in 2024, she initially endorsed Sylvester Turner to succeed Jackson Lee in both the special and general elections. However, she later announced her candidacy for the special election to finish her mother’s term, with Turner withdrawing and endorsing her.
Early life and education
[edit]Erica Shelwyn Lee was born on February 2, 1980[2] to Sheila Jackson Lee, a lawyer and politician, and Elwyn Lee, a law professor. She has a brother, Jason Cornelius Bennett Lee. She graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with an undergraduate degree and later earned a Master of Public Policy from Duke University.[3]
Political career
[edit]
Before running for office, she was a regional quality coordinator for a nonprofit public health organization and a teacher in the Houston Independent School District. She also served on a team that helped prepare a $21 billion education budget for New York Governor Eliot Spitzer.[4] In 2011, Carter filed to run for the 1st precinct of the Harris County Department of Education, explaining that her decision to run was partly inspired by her family's involvement in public service.[5] She went into a runoff with former Houston City Councilmember Jarvis Johnson, but voters were prevented from casting ballots due to a county error.[6] She won the runoff and faced Republican Juliette Bartlett-Pack, whom she later defeated to become a trustee.[7][4]
In 2016, she was a candidate to replace State Representative Borris Miles, who had been selected to replace Rodney Ellis in the Senate.[8] However, she was defeated by Shawn Thierry when the precinct chairs voted for the replacement.[9] She later became a policy analyst for Ellis.
U.S. House of Representatives
[edit]On July 19, 2024, Sheila Jackson Lee died, leaving her congressional seat vacant. Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that a special election to fill the seat would be held on Election Day.[10] Former Houston mayor Sylvester Turner had been chosen as the Democratic Party's nominee for the elections, with Carter and her brother endorsing him.[11][12] However, Carter received encouragement from the community to run, and days later, she confirmed that she would be running to complete her mother's term in Congress, with Turner withdrawing from the special election and endorsing her.[13][14] The other candidate was former City Council member Amanda Edwards.[15] She won the seat on November 5, 2024 and was sworn in on November 12, 2024, representing the 18th district until January 3, 2025.[16][17]
She is a member of the United States House Committee on the Judiciary.
Personal life
[edit]She married Roy L. Carter Jr. in November 2012 in Houston, Texas, with a reception attended by various Democratic politicians.[18] She has two children who are twins, Ellison Bennett Carter and Roy Lee Carter III.[19]
See also
[edit]- Kwanza Hall, who was elected in a similar situation where the incumbent running died
References
[edit]- ^ "Late-Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee's daughter considering run for her seat". Fox 26 Houston. August 9, 2024.
- ^
- ^ "Daughter of Sheila Jackson Lee considers running to finish her congressional term". Houston Defender. August 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Lee, Renée C. (October 12, 2012). "6 vying for three Harris County school board seats". Chron.
- ^ Dunham, Richard (December 6, 2011). "The Jackson Lee political dynasty: Generation Two". Chron.
- ^ Mellon, Ericka; Morris, Mike (July 17, 2012). "Boundary glitch throws county school board election in doubt". Chron.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Morris, Mike (August 1, 2012). "Local races: Guthrie triumphant in GOP sheriff's race". Chron.
- ^ Reynolds, John (August 5, 2016). "Political People and their Moves". The Texas Tribune.
- ^ Hooks, Christopher (August 8, 2016). "How 13 People (Total) Elected Houston's Likely New State Rep". The Texas Observer.
- ^ Motley, Dante (July 20, 2024). "After U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee's death, Texas Democrats have to find a new candidate for November". The Texas Tribune.
- ^ Cheng, Yilun (August 5, 2024). "Jackson Lee's children endorse former Mayor Turner in crowded battle to succeed her in Congress". Houston Chronicle.
- ^ Sforza, Lauren (August 5, 2024). "Sheila Jackson Lee's children endorse Sylvester Turner for her House seat". The Hill.
- ^ Hubbard, Kaia (August 13, 2024). "Daughter of late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee seeks to finish mother's term in Congress". CBS News.
- ^ Downey, Renzo (August 23, 2024). "Sheila Jackson Lee's daughter files to finish out her mother's term". The Texas Tribune.
- ^ Johnson, Daniel (2024-08-13). "Erica Lee Carter, Daughter Of Sheila Jackson Lee, Will Run For Her Vacant Seat In Special Election". Black Enterprise. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ "Erica Lee Carter will fill mother's seat until Jan. 2025". FOX 26 Houston. November 5, 2024.
- ^ Terry, Christian (November 10, 2024). "'I am honored': Daughter of Sheila Jackson Lee to be sworn in Tuesday to finish mother's term in Congress". Click2Houston.
- ^ Hodge, Shelby (November 21, 2012). "Sheila Jackson Lee's daughter weds, Clarence Thomas revisits Tony's and acookbook success". CultureMap Houston.
- ^ Brown, Stacy M. (June 3, 2024). "Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Faces The Battle Of Her Life After Cancer Diagnosis". Seattle Medium.
External links
[edit]- 1980 births
- Living people
- 21st-century African-American educators
- 21st-century African-American politicians
- 21st-century African-American women politicians
- 21st-century American women educators
- 21st-century American women politicians
- 21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives
- 21st-century Texas politicians
- African-American members of the United States House of Representatives
- African-American schoolteachers
- African-American women educators
- Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Texas
- Educators from Houston
- Female members of the United States House of Representatives
- Politicians from Houston
- Sanford School of Public Policy alumni
- Schoolteachers from Texas
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni