Texas Governor Abbott Under Pressure to Call Special Election for District 18 Seat

Vacant Congressional Seat in Texas District 18

• 📌 Nearly a month after the passing of Congressman and former Mayor Sylvester Turner, his seat in Texas's 18th Congressional District remains vacant.
• 🗣️ Constituents in the district have been without representation in Congress since Turner's death on March 5th.

Calls for a Special Election

• 📢 State lawmakers, including State Representative Jalena Jones, and national Democratic leaders are urging Governor Greg Abbott to schedule a special election.
• 🏛️ Governor Abbott has the sole authority to call an election for the vacant seat, either an emergency election or one for the November 4th general election.
• ⚖️ Over 800,000 Texans in the district are currently unrepresented and unable to get assistance with issues like passports or veterans' affairs.

Accusations of Delay

• ⏳ Governor Abbott has not yet taken action to announce a special election, leading to accusations of deliberately delaying the vote.
• 🚩 Critics suggest the delay may be intended to allow Republicans to maintain a slim majority in the House of Representatives.
• 📧 Governor Abbott's office has been contacted for comment regarding his plans for the special election but has not yet responded.