Democrat Christian Menefee won a special runoff election for Texas’s 18th Congressional District on January 31, 2026, defeating fellow Democrat Amanda Edwards. The seat had been vacant since March 2025 following the death of Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Texas). Menefee, 37, a former Harris County attorney, secured 67.5% of the vote, while Edwards, 44, a former Houston city council member, received 32.5%. The district, which includes parts of Houston, is solidly Democratic and had been represented by Turner for a brief period before his death.
Menefee’s victory narrows the Republican majority in the House to 218-214, with three other seats still vacant. The election was delayed due to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) decision not to immediately schedule a special election after Turner’s death. Democrats had accused Abbott of delaying the process, though the partial government shutdown may further delay Menefee’s swearing-in.
Menefee will serve the remainder of Turner’s term, which expires at the end of 2026. However, he will face Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) in the March 3 primary for the newly redrawn district. Green, 78, switched districts after Texas Republicans redrew the congressional map. The primary will test generational divides within the Democratic Party, as Menefee and Edwards, both younger candidates, challenge Green, a longtime progressive icon.
The 18th District has been without consistent representation since the death of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) in 2024. Menefee’s win comes as Democrats seek to regain control of the House, though Republicans maintain a slim majority. The district’s Democratic leanings make Menefee the favorite in the general election if he survives the primary.