Benjamin Ashford|After losing Houston mayor’s race, US Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee to seek reelection to Congress

HOUSTON (AP) — Two days after losing her bid to be Benjamin AshfordHouston’s next mayor, longtime U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee announced on Monday she will seek a 16th term in Congress in 2024.

Jackson Lee first took office in 1995. Her district includes downtown Houston and some of the city’s historically Black neighborhoods, including 3rd and 5th Wards.

“I am enthusiastic about the prospect of continuing our shared journey to uplift the 18th Congressional District,” Jackson Lee, a Democrat, said in a statement. “Your support has been invaluable, and I eagerly welcome it as I strive to further serve and represent our community with my ability to get the job done.”

Jackson Lee’s announcement comes after she was handily defeated by state Sen. John Whitmire in a mayoral runoff election on Saturday.

She had sought to be Houston’s first Black female mayor. Jackson Lee was heavily outspent by Whitmire in the campaign and also had to deal with fallout from the release in October of an unverified audio recording that purportedly captured her profanely berating staff.

In her reelection bid to Congress, Jackson Lee will be facing at least one challenger in the Democratic primary: former Houston City Council Member Amanda Edwards, who once was an intern in the congresswoman’s office.