Garcia Endorses Turner in Houston Mayoral Runoff

Former Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia on Friday endorsed state Rep. Sylvester Turner in the Houston mayoral runoff, lending his support to a former opponent who once looked like his closest competition for the city's top job.

The endorsement came three days after Garcia, who entered the race as a favorite to make the Dec. 12 runoff with Turner, finished a distant third in the first round. He announced his support for his onetime foe during a news conference at Turner's campaign headquarters. 

"We ran a good race, and now it’s time to come together — as all Houston — to move our city forward," Garcia said in a statement. "I am proud to announce I am signing up to volunteer: knock on doors, make phone calls, for Sylvester Turner for Mayor. In my book, that means I am fully endorsing Sylvester Turner, and I am asking my longtime friends, family, and supporters to do so as well."

The early endorsement could accelerate the consolidation of Democratic support behind Turner, the 26-year state lawmaker who faces Republican-leaning businessman Bill King in the non-partisan runoff. Throughout the first round of the race, Garcia and Turner largely avoided tangling as the two leading Democratic candidates.