Democrat Rep. Sylvester Turner Dies At 70

Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Texas, passed away Tuesday night following a medical emergency that occurred after President Trump’s address to Congress, according to two Democratic House lawmakers who were informed of his passing.

Turner, who was 70, had only recently taken office in January. He had previously battled bone cancer.

A legislator present at the meeting stated that House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., informed fellow Democrats about Turner’s death and confirmed that his family had been notified. The meeting was held privately.

Another Democratic representative recounted seeing Turner in the tunnel that links the Capitol to the Cannon Building on Tuesday afternoon, noting that he appeared to be experiencing a medical emergency. Capitol Police were alerted and responded to assist him, the lawmaker said.

Several Democratic colleagues reported seeing or speaking with Turner on the House floor before Trump delivered his speech. Footage and photographs from the event also show Turner seated toward the back of the chamber.

Turner had previously served as Houston’s mayor from 2016 to 2024 before successfully running for Congress in November. Prior to that, he spent over 25 years as a state legislator.

Long-serving Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, succumbed to pancreatic cancer in July of the previous year. Turner, who had a close relationship with Jackson Lee, announced his candidacy for her seat, and local Democratic leaders selected him to appear on the November ballot after Jackson Lee had won her primary earlier that March.

While Democratic lawmakers expressed displeasure at President Donald Trump’s celebrated return to the Capitol, polling data indicates their constituents may have felt differently.

A CBS News/YouGov poll conducted immediately following Trump’s joint congressional address surveyed a nationally representative audience and produced results that would likely please the poll-focused president.

The poll revealed that an overwhelming 76 percent of Americans who watched the speech approved of Trump’s remarks, while just 23 percent—less than a quarter—disapproved.

Additionally, 68 percent of respondents described the address as “hopeful,” with a majority also labeling it as “presidential,” “inspiring,” “unifying,” and “entertaining.”

A significant portion of viewers believed Trump addressed topics important to them, according to the CBS News/YouGov poll.

More than two-thirds of respondents indicated that Trump presented a clear plan for addressing inflation, which had begun under President Joe Biden. Furthermore, over three-quarters expressed support for Trump’s proposals on cutting government waste, immigration, and border security. Despite media skepticism ahead of the event, nearly one-quarter of viewers approved of Trump’s stance on Ukraine and Russia, as reported by Breitbart News, citing the poll results.

Although audiences for presidential addresses generally lean toward the incumbent's party, the survey found that only 51 percent of viewers identified as Republicans, suggesting Trump’s message resonated beyond his usual supporters.

Additionally, over three-quarters of viewers endorsed Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) for directing the Sergeant at Arms to remove Rep. Al Green (D-TX) from the chamber after he repeatedly disrupted Trump’s speech despite multiple warnings.

Trump received positive feedback from Republican officials and various media commentators.

“Tonight, President Trump made his triumphant return to Congress to share his bold, optimistic vision for renewing the American Dream,” Johnson posted on the X platform.

“This is the fifth State of the Union address I’ve seen Trump give—it was by far his best,” remarked Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

“The best moment—emotional moment, was DJ, who’s battling cancer. He wanted to be a police officer, and during the speech, the president said the Secret Service has made him an agent,” observed Fox News anchor Bret Baier, referring to a teen cancer survivor whom Trump honored during his address.

Fox’s Brit Hume commented, “If you ever doubted that Donald Trump is the political colossus of our time and our nation, this night and this speech should have put that to rest.”

Former Fox News contributor Geraldo Rivera added, “Trump was strong, defiant and entertaining.”

Ex-CNN political analyst Chris Cillizza offered his perspective, saying, “That was a very effective speech. You can hate it or him. But that speech was aimed squarely at issues where the public is with Trump—and filled with made-for-sharing moments. A master image-maker at work (and you can hate him and acknowledge that’s true!)”