U.S. Congressman Christian Menefee held on to the District 18 seat he won in January, defeating longtime Congressman Al Green in a rare incumbent-versus-incumbent race that political watchdogs attributed to a Republican-led gerrymandering effort that put the two popular lawmakers in the same district.
The race was among the first called by the Associated Press on Tuesday night. Menefee had 68.6 percent of the vote after early and mail-in ballots were counted, a margin his opponent wouldn’t be able to catch up to.
Both candidates were well-liked among voters; Green held the Congressional District 9 seat for more than 20 years but was moved into CD 18 last summer during a mid-decade redistricting effort.
Green supporters hailed their preferred candidate as a fighter who stands up to Trump, but Menefee ads noted that “Al Green likes to fight but Christian Menefee likes to win.” Some said Green, 78, should have retired after the congressional boundaries were redrawn.
Because the CD 18 seat, which covers a large swath of Harris County and a portion of Fort Bend County, remained solidly blue after redistricting, it’s predicted that Menefee will win again in November when he faces GOP nominee Ronald Whitfield. The District 18 office was previously held by Sheila Jackson Lee, who died in July 2024, and later by Sylvester Turner, who died in March 2025.
Gov. Greg Abbott delayed a special election to replace Turner, leaving constituents without representation for almost a year. Abbott said it was because Harris County is terrible at running elections; many surmised that he didn’t want another Democrat in Congress during controversial votes such as the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last July.
Prominent political figures, including Texas Rep. Jolanda Jones, D-Houston, and former Houston City Council Member Amanda Edwards, challenged Menefee in last year’s special election, which ultimately forced him into a runoff with Edwards. Menefee supporters say he prevailed because of his consistency in successfully suing the Trump administration while serving as Harris County attorney from 2021 to 2025.
At a Memorial Day barbecue Monday at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, Alesha Russey said she likes both Menefee and Green but believes that congressional seats should not be “hoarded and harbored,” and the elder statesmen should mentor their younger counterparts.
“Christian is sharp. He is astute. He is a fighter for civil rights, voting rights and environmental justice,” Russey said. “He’s an upstanding, principled man. He’s grounded. I love what he’s doing for the community and the state of Texas and the United States.”
Menefee told supporters at Monday’s event that he remains committed to fighting for immigration reform and affordable healthcare.
“I will always stand for the things that I ran on,” he said. “I will always communicate with y’all and make sure you know what’s going on in Washington, D.C. I will work as hard as I can to continue to make y’all proud so Houston can be one of the best places to live and raise a family.”
After the results were tallied late Tuesday night, Menefee said in a statement that his victory is a testament to how powerfully the district has embraced a new generation of public service.
“Republicans have made this hard on purpose,” he said. “They delayed this election. They drew maps designed to dilute our power. They made you come back to the polls over and over again because they were hoping you would get tired and give up. You didn’t. Now it’s time to finish the job. In November, we have the opportunity to change the leadership of this state, and I am calling on every voter in Texas to seize it.”
John Stauffacher, a retired executive with the Gulf Coast Power Association, and his wife Barbara Schott, a volunteer with the League of Women Voters, live in Congressional District 18 on Holcombe Boulevard and said they supported Menefee.
“This gerrymandering and the confusion have been a mess,” Stauffacher said. “It’s too bad that Al Green got caught up in that. I’m in my 80s and I’m looking for a younger voice.”
Houston City Councilman Edward Pollard introduced Menefee at the Memorial Day event and called the congressman “the real deal.”
“He doesn’t just talk the talk; he walks the walk,” Pollard said. “You’ve seen what he was able to do as the youngest and first Black Harris County attorney. You’ve seen what he’s been able to do in his short time in Congress. We need to continue with the momentum.”
