Former Houston mayor, Texas Rep. Jarvis Johnson interested in filling Sheila Jackson Lee's seat

Two potential candidates have emerged as Harris County Democrats search for someone to replace the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who died of pancreatic cancer last Friday .

The video above is from a previous report: Remembering US Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee: Community leaders reacts to Congresswoman's passing

Lee's death at 74 years old created an open seat in Texas' 18th Congressional District for the first time in decades, and former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is among those interested in filling her shoes.

On Tuesday, Turner told ABC13's Miya Shay he's "strongly considering" the bid for the Congresswoman's vacant seat.

In January, he finished two terms as Houston mayor and served for decades before that in the Texas House of Representatives.

The former mayor said he's weighing his options, adding that he's becoming a new grandfather soon. He believes the community needs strong, consistent leadership and that Lee's work must be carried on.

RELATED: Friends remember U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee as hard worker, 'Wonder Woman'

"To most people, it was Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, to me, it is auntie -- Auntie Sheila," Lawrence Bell, who's known Jackson-Lee his entire life, said.

Leaders within the Harris County Democratic Party will likely announce a selection meeting after the late Congresswoman has been laid to rest.

Another potential candidate is Texas Rep. Jarvis D. Johnson, who also announced his plans to run for the lawmaker's seat on Tuesday.

"Just as Joe Biden passed the torch to a willing and able candidate, I stand ready to provide cohesion and strength while fighting for the 18th District against the Republican regime," Johnson said in a statement.

The precinct chairs in District 18 will decide on the candidate before Aug. 18 because the Democratic National Convention begins in Chicago on Aug. 19.

SEE ALSO: What happens on the ballot without Sheila Jackson Lee after her passing?

The late Sheila Jackson Lee was seeking her 16th term in Congress, but now the Democratic Party must choose a replacement before Aug. 26.