Jolanda Jones says her campaign for Houston’s 18th District is personal

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.

Jolanda Jones, attorney and current state representative, says she’s running due to her own personal struggles, legislative grit, and a history of fighting for the underdog. Jones says she’s not just running for Congress; she’s answering a call from her community.

When asked why she’s running for Texas’ 18th Congressional District, Jones doesn’t hesitate, “because my constituents asked me to. But also, because it’s personal.” Her campaign isn’t just about politics it’s about lived experience. Jones’ father, a Vietnam veteran, returned home with PTSD but never received the care he needed from the Veterans Administration. “The government failed him,” Jones says.

Her upbringing was shaped by poverty and food insecurity. As a child, she relied on free and reduced lunch programs, often going hungry while her peers ordered freely at restaurants.

“I never let anyone come over to our house because we might not have lights on, or food in the refrigerator,” she recalled. “I know what it’s like to not have food.” These experiences fuel her fight for increased federal support for afterschool programs and nutrition services the same kinds of programs that helped her survive.

Top Issues: Cost of Living, Housing, and Voting Rights

Jones says residents of TX-18 are angry and with good reason. “People can’t afford food. They can’t afford housing. They can’t find good jobs,” she said.

The cost-of-living crisis is hitting working families hard, and Jones wants to bring real solutions from Washington D.C. to Houston.

Affordable housing remains a critical concern in the district, where some families are still struggling to recover from disasters like Hurricane Harvey. Jones argues that more federal oversight and resources are needed especially in communities where, she says, the government has failed to protect residents’ health and homes.

And when it comes to voting rights, few have been as visible as Jones. She was one of the Texas Democrats who left the state in protest during the special legislative session this summer on redistricting.

“I became the face of the quorum break,” she said. “They sent the FBI after us. They fined us $10,000. But I wasn’t going back to give them those maps.”

Jones is now legally challenging the constitutionality of those fines, saying they were levied without due notice.

Jones says what her constituents want most is someone who’s willing to fight.

“Americans are angry. They’re angry, at least in my district. That’s what they’re telling me, ‘Fight back, Jolanda.’” She says she’s been fighting her whole life, whether as an elected official, attorney, or advocate.

She’s quick to point out her record: “I’m the only candidate in this race who has served and completed more than one term in elected office. I’ve won 11 times in TX-18. My opponents combined have won three.” Jones says her long-standing support from voters shows her, they’re looking for a fighter like herself.

“When the government does what we pay it to do by way of our taxes, then we should be supported by the government,” she says.