WASHINGTON — After the November election, Texas will have 25 Republicans and 13 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives starting in January – the same as this year, but the delegation will have several fresh faces. The new lawmakers descended on the nation’s capital last month for 10 days of orientation.

What You Need To Know

  • Erica Carter Lee, succeeding her late mother Sheila Jackson Lee, is serving the remainder of the term in the 18th Congressional District of Texas, with former Houston mayor and state lawmaker Sylvester Turner set to take over the full term next year

  • Julie Johnson, the first openly LGBTQ member of Congress from Texas, won in the 32th district and aims to focus on health care, immigration, and equality

  • Craig Goldman, who won the 12th district, prioritizes passing a federal fentanyl law and reducing state border security spending under the incoming administration. Meanwhile, Brandon Gill, elected in the 26th district, plans to support President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda

  • A couple of vacancies were made possible because longtime Texans Kay Granger and Michael Burgess are retiring

The newest member of the Texas delegation in Congress already has been sworn in. Rep. Erica Carter Lee, D-Houston, won a special election to succeed her mother Sheila Jackson Lee, who died this year. She vows to carry on her mother’s legacy of fighting for economic opportunity and dignity.

“There’s much work to do, and it is my honor to finish what she started alongside each of you,” she said on the House floor this month. 

Carter Lee will only serve through the end of the year. She will be succeeded in the 18th District by former Houston mayor and former member of the Texas House Sylvester Turner, who was elected to a full term

“I’m a native of the 18th and she did an extraordinary job. You can’t replace her, but the work goes on. So for me, it’s not just about stepping in. It’s very personal as well,” Turner said. 

Three of the new members from the Lone Star State are former members of the Texas statehouse. 

Throughout his 27 years in the Texas Legislature, Turner was on the appropriations committee and he hopes to do the same on the national level. He is also eyeing the transportation and homeland security committees.

Turner adds that serving in the Republican-led Legislature has prepared him for the GOP trifecta in Washington next year, when the party will control the White House and both chambers of Congress.

“You fight passionately on those things that will not be in the best interest of the people that you serve, but at the same time, you find ways to navigate through that political wall, so to speak. I’ve done it in the past.” Turner said. 

“I would have loved for the outcomes to have been different, but be that as it may, I still want to do everything I can to address the health care needs, the housing needs, the economic issues that are impacting the daily lives of the people in 18,” he continued. 

Another new Democrat, Julie Johnson, said she feels the same way. She was elected to the Dallas seat that Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, gave up to run for the U.S. Senate. Similar to Allred, Johnson flipped a Republican-held seat in 2018.

Johnson also makes history as the first openly LGBTQ member representing Texas in Congress.

“There’s an interesting juxtaposition that Texas leads the nation in a sort of anti-LGBT initiatives in our Texas Legislature, but yet, the people of Texas elected me to the United States Congress, and I think that sends a statement to Texans that, you know, we value everyone in our state,” Johnson said. 

“I’m up here to be a voice for our community and represent us to make sure that we achieve our full equality, But I’m here to do so many more other things. We have health care, immigration, business issues that I have to focus on as well, but it’s a great responsibility,” she continued.

A Republican state representative from Fort Worth, Craig Goldman, won in the 12th Congressional district, which includes the western part of Tarrant County, as well as most of Parker County. Goldman says it was a “bittersweet” decision to leave the Legislature, but says one of his top priorities in Washington is to build on the work he achieved at the state level.

“I want to pass a federal Molly James law, the fentanyl bill that we passed in the state of Texas. I want a national, a federal fentanyl bill to put dealers and distributors behind bars for a long time in our nation. And then, of course, representing CD-12, you have to be very aware of the defense industry that’s there,” Goldman said.

Goldman added that with an incoming Republican administration, he is hopeful that the state of Texas won’t have to spend as much as it has on Operation Lone Star, a multibillion-dollar state border security initiative. 

“Hopefully that line item goes away, and the state legislature in Texas can put even more money and property tax relief for the citizens of Texas. So border security is certainly a number one issue with the change of the administration that I’m going to welcome,” Goldman said.

Another Republican freshman, Brandon Gill, was elected in the 26th district, which stretches from the northern suburbs of Dallas to Oklahoma. Gill is a political newcomer who seeks to be one of President-elect Donald Trump’s biggest champions on Capitol Hill. 

“He’s the reason that I’m here. He’s the reason that so many of us are here right now,” Gill said. 

He won a second election this month, chosen to become president of the freshman class in Congress.

“Listen, I cannot wait to get up here to support my class in the 119th Congress to do everything we can to pass President Trump’s agenda. Again, it’s going to be bringing inflation down, cutting wasteful spending, securing the border,” Gill said. 

“Voters gave President Trump and his agenda a mandate, and that is our job now to carry it out,” he continued.

Two vacancies were made possible because longtime members of Congress are retiring. Kay Granger, chair of the appropriations committee, and Michael Burgess, chair of the rules committee, did not seek reelection.