HOUSTON — People packed the Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy Saturday afternoon to hear from candidates hoping to be selected as the Democratic nominee for the 18th Congressional District seat once held by Sheila Jackson Lee.
Lee died last month from pancreatic cancer.
“They are vying to take the seat of somebody who was an advocate who spoke up for, the underserved,” said voter Dolores Rodgers.
88 precinct chairs in the Democratic Party will be the ones to decide whose name is on the ballot come November, but they wanted to make sure voters had input too.
“I want them to take away a little bit more understanding of who these candidates are, what their platforms are, what they’re going to actually do if they're elected to represent us here in the 18th district, and then make their voices heard to those 88 precinct chairs,” said President of Southeast Democrats Network and Precinct Chair, Melanie Miles.
Would-be voters in attendance listened to the candidates’ answers to questions about several things like the state takeover of HISD, overcrowding and understaffing in the Harris County Jail and even their thoughts on term limits.
“I was looking for who on that stage, really was committed and there were individuals who have experience, some who didn’t,” said Rodgers. “I think we do need someone who does understand the legislative process.”
The voters who call the 18th district home feel energized.
“Just from them for one participating in the process and from their experience and their backgrounds and what they had to say,” said voter Yvette Alexander.
They walked away with their own decision of who they hope is selected as the nominee.
“It was very important to me because I hadn’t made a decision and when I listened to the candidates, I’m kind of sold,” said Alexander.