Erica Lee Carter was elected in November to fill the last two months of her mom Sheila Jackson Lee's congressional term. While Carter sat in her mom's seat, she didn't claim to have filled her shoes.

Former Houston Mayor and U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner and the late U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee — colleagues, friends and proud Houstonians — often spoke of a shared goal to serve the city they ...