# Texas lawmaker who dies at 70 had final message on Medicaid for Trump

A new Democratic lawmaker had a message for  about cutting Medicaid for everyday Americans that he shared widely before the president's speech to leave Medicaid alone. It was one of his final messages.

A few hours later, 70-year-old Texas Rep. Sylvester Turner - who had recently struggled to overcome bone cancer - had died.

The cause of death is not yet known for Turner, a former Houston mayor and longtime state representative who recently succeeded the late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Turner announced in 2022 that he had been treated for bone cancer and was cancer-free.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire, who took over the mayorship after Turner stepped down earlier this year to join Congress,  Wednesday morning that Turner was taken to a hospital in Washington, where he died.

The president's speech to Congress on Tuesday night was met with criticism and condolences from Democrats, who are also mourning the death of Turner.

"By the time the president reached the stage, he was on his way to the hospital," Whitmire said. "We'll be in a state of mourning. And I recognize the loss of the Texas Democratic Congressmen."

Turner, a former Republican, is often credited with coaxing Rep. Randi Weber, a Republican, to join the Democratic caucus.

The former president's speech to a joint session of Congress on a Tuesday night was a highly emotional moment for many Americans, with President Trump saying he was "a great man" and that he "made America great again."

"It's a miracle this is happening at the end of his life," Whitmire said. "It's something that we feel we are going to be coming back to, and we will."

Senator Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico said Trump "had to talk about himself."

Trump has made comments about the role of Medicaid in the American health care system, once saying it was a "national shame" and sounded disparaging about some Democrats.

This was a significant moment for Democrats, who have been struggling to gain support in the House, with an election looming in 2024.

Turner's death comes as the Democratic party is in the midst of a campaign to win control of Congress in November, with both parties in the midst of a heated debate on the nation's fiscal policies.

The campaign has been particularly heated on the economics front, with both parties following similar campaigns to cut government programs, including Medicaid.

As Trump's speech ended, the Democratic lawmakers have begun to reflect on the passing of Turner and the importance of supporting health care.

"Let's be united," U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin said. "Let's work together."

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