(ProsperNews.net) – Texas Democrat Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee has announced she has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The 74-year-old is undergoing treatment and said she has faith that God will strengthen her for the journey ahead. The lawmaker conceded the treatment would necessitate some absences from Congress, but she would endeavor to be present for important votes, and her office would continue to work for her constituents.
Rep. Jackson Lee has had a busy couple of years. In 2023, she ran for Mayor of Houston in an intense battle that ended in a run-off with State Senator John Whitmire, who defeated her with almost 65% of the vote. The Mayoral campaign was marred by leaked audio footage revealing a harsh attitude toward staff. Ms. Jackson Lee then entered another hard-fought battle to regain her Congressional seat against challenger Amanda Edwards, who exited the Mayoral race to give Jackson Lee a free run but now fought her for the seat the Congresswoman had held for decades.
Born in New York, Rep. Jackson Lee challenged then-Houston Congressman Craig Washington in 1994 when he was under fire for opposing popular local projects. She defeated Washington with 63% in the primaries before trouncing Republican Jerry Burly with 73%. Her career since then has been anything but quiet, and she has been at the center of several scandals.
In 2017, for instance, she made headlines when an American Airlines passenger told reporters she was ousted from her first-class seat to accommodate Jackson Lee. When she complained, the Congresswoman accused her of racism. Last year, Jackson Lee called for the criminalization of “white supremacy,” prompting criticism that she was attempting to suppress Constitutional freedoms.
Her recent diagnosis is not the first the controversial Congresswoman has endured. In 2012, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, underwent treatment, and made a full recovery. Afterward, she committed herself to fighting for improved cancer treatments and research advances and spoke of her relief at having more time with friends and family.
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