HOUSTON – Sixteen people are vying to fill Houston’s 18th Congressional District seat, a position left vacant after the passing of Sylvester Turner in March.
All this week, KPRC 2 is introducing you to the top candidates hoping to serve out the remainder of Turner’s term. To keep things fair, we literally pulled names from a mug to decide who we feature each day.
Amanda Edwards is a former At-Large city council member and public finance attorney, a native Houstonian calls herself “the people’s candidate.”
Edwards says her decision to seek the seat is rooted in a lifelong commitment to service, one that began when her father was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an aggressive form of cancer, when she was growing up.
“When I was about 10 years old, my father was diagnosed with multiple myeloma,” Edwards said. “I remember asking him what would happen if the insurance company said no to his life-saving treatments. He told me, ‘We’ll just have to figure something else out.’ Even then, I knew that was the wrong answer.”
Her father’s death when she was a teenager shaped her perspective on healthcare and the systems that affect families across the district. Edwards says it’s why she believes in fighting for accessible, equitable care for all.
LIST: Who’s running for 18th congressional district?
“We need people in office who understand that real lives are hanging in the balance of the decisions we make, the systems we create or choose not to create,” she said.
Top issues: Health care, the economic stability, and representation
Edwards says healthcare, economic stability, and restoring representation are top priorities for Houston’s 18th District, which has been without a member in Congress for 18 months.
“We’re talking about 800,000 people who haven’t had a vote, haven’t had a voice, haven’t had their federal advocate for funding,” Edwards said.
She also points to economic uncertainty and rising concerns among residents about retirement security and cost of living.
“What’s going to happen with Social Security? What’s gonna happen to my retirement benefits,” Edwards said people often ask her. “They’re worried. They’re concerned.”
Edwards describes herself as independent-minded and community-driven.
“I’m the people’s candidate,” she said. “I am not an establishment candidate by any means in this race. I am a person that you can believe the line of accountability is between me and the public that I serve and that is it.”
During her time on Houston City Council, Edwards led initiatives in disaster recovery, housing, and innovation including helping create the city’s Tech and Innovation Task Force, which she says helped spur growth in the city’s startup ecosystem.
“These are deliverables and receipts, as some say, of the things that I’ve been able to accomplish for the community demonstrating my ability to get things done.”
Edwards says she plans to work with both parties on critical issues like infrastructure and disaster recovery.
“I’ve never met a single Democrat or Republican who likes to flood,” she said. “We can’t stop it from raining, but we can be prepared to catch it when it does. That means investing in infrastructure year-round not just when there’s water in front of us.”
Edwards previously announced a run for Houston mayor before shifting her focus to the congressional race. Following the death of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, the district’s Democratic precinct chairs selected Sylvester Turner to temporarily fill the seat. Edwards says she’s determined to carry forward that legacy of service.
“I’ve been tested. I’ve persevered. I’ve demonstrated grit,” she said. “And I’m deeply committed to serving the needs of this district.”