Erica Lee Carter will be sworn in as mother until January 2025

Fox 26 reported that Erica Lee Carter, daughter of the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, has taken the official oath of office to take over her mother’s seat in Texas’ 18th Congressional District

Carter announced her candidacy for her mother’s seat in August 2024 after Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for a special election to fill the seat following Lee’s death following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Her selection was not a surprise. After her mother’s death, Carter said in a press release, “I want to finish for my mom!”

After taking the oath of office in Washington on November 12, she turned to other members of Congress and said: she mentioned that she was excited to work with them.

“Thank you to the voters of Texas’ 18th Congressional District for trusting me to serve the rest of the 118th Congress.

“I am honored to conclude for you and in memory of my mother, the late great Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee,” Carter said, in line with .

“I’m ready to get up and work for you. I look forward to working with Speaker Mike Johnson, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and all of my colleagues in Congress on the important issues facing the United States House of Representatives on behalf of the American people.”

Carter will serve in the role until January 3, 2025. After that, former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner will serve in Texas’ 18th Congressional District after the outcomes are announced on Election Day.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee held this position from 1995 until her death. Carter documented her journey on X, formerly known as Twitter, by posting a photograph of herself sitting in her mother’s old office. “It is an indescribable honor and profound humiliation to be sworn in as the next Congresswoman of Texas’ 18th Congressional District,” she wrote on Twitter. “As I stand here today, I proudly take the place of my mother, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.”

She also posted a touching comparison photo of herself delivering her first speech to Congress in the identical place where Jackson Lee delivered his first speech almost 30 years ago.

Local Texas leaders, including Republican Jasmine Crockett, delivered celebratory remarks. She prolonged “warm welcome” Carter, who resembles her mother, says she knows the previous congresswoman “looks down at the ground with pride.”