REPLACING:

Sheila Jackson Lee (D)

WORK HISTORY:

Barnes and Turner (Owner); Texas House of Representatives (Member, District 139) [i]

Education:

BA, University of Houston; JD, Harvard Law School [ii]

Campaigned On:

Keep Federal Resources Flowing; Protect Women and Families; Pass a Federal Law to Codify Roe V. Wade; Address Rising Prices and the High Cost of Living; Pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act; Pass Strong Reforms to End the Epidemic of Gun Violence; Reduce Inequality in our Public Schools and End the HISD Takeover; Achieve Environmental Justice for the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens; Pass the Equality Act; Protect the Affordable Care Act [iii]

ON THE ISSUES

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:

Turner supports using federal resources to support women’s reproductive freedom. [iv] He also supports passing a federal law to codify Roe v. Wade. [v]

IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY:

Turner supported the Biden administration’s policy of allowing people to sponsor those seeking to enter the country prior to their entry. "Allowing people to apply from where they are instead of coming over, I think is a significant step forward, so I think we have to wait and see whether or not the new policy that they put in place will have a positive impact," Turner said. [vi] As Mayor of Houston, Turner promoted Houston’s status as “a welcoming, inclusive city – no matter immigration status, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or income.” [vii]

ECONOMY & JOBS:

Turner supports investing in affordable housing and bringing down the price of essentials including food, energy, prescription drugs, and healthcare in order to address the high cost of living. [viii]

TAXES:

Turner has been critical of tariffs in the past, saying in a 2019 Facebook post, “One thing is clear: Texas – and Houston – will hurt if the president imposes tariffs on Mexican imports. Trade between Houston and Mexico averages over $23 billion a year. Our economy is only getting stronger, and we cannot allow it to unravel in a trade war.” [ix]

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY:

Turner supports the George Floyd Justice in Policing act. The act would limit qualified immunity, strengthen civil rights protections, improve training, ensure transparency, and invest in innovative approaches to public safety. [x]

CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT:

Turner has expressed his support for the Green New Deal in the past. [xi] Turner has served as a member of the C40 and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Local Government Advisory Committee. [xii]

FOREIGN POLICY:

In October 2023, Turner released a statement saying that he was saddened by and condemned the attack on the Israel by Hamas. He went on to say that in light of those attacks, Houston would enhance security around synagogues and other potentially vulnerable venues. [xiii]

HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL SAFETY NET:

Turner has called for protecting the Affordable Care Act. He also wants to work for “full participation in Medicaid expansion by the State of Texas, to cover millions of uninsured Texans.” [xiv]

DEMOCRACY:

Turner has been critical of Governor Greg Abbott’s removal of “a million individuals from the voter rolls since 2021.” [xv]

SOCIAL ISSUES:

Turner supports passing the Equality Act to outlaw discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs, and jury service. [xvi]