OAN Staff Cory Hawkins and Brooke Mallory
5:30 PM – Tuesday, February 2, 2026
After winning Saturday’s special runoff to succeed the late Rep. Sylvester Turner, Texas Democrat Christian Menefee was sworn in on Monday to serve the remainder of the term, which runs through January 2027, ending nearly a year-long vacancy caused by Turner’s passing.
Turner died in March 2025 at the age of 70, leaving his seat empty.
“It’s been more than 330 days since the people of the 18th Congressional District had representation, had a voice in Congress,” Menefee said after being sworn in. “When this body took on important votes about whether to cut [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, about whether to make it more difficult to access Medicaid, important issues, this district had no voice in Congress, so this one is for the 18th.”
Texas’s 18th Congressional District is a reliably Democrat region, anchored in inner-city Houston and surrounding neighborhoods. It has a long track record of voting blue, having supported Democrat presidential candidates in every election since the 1970s.
Meanwhile, with the House currently standing at 218–214, the Republican majority faces a strict “margin of one.” While the recent special election merely filled a Democrat vacancy, rather than shifting a seat across the aisle, it solidifies the opposition’s numbers. Consequently, any two GOP defections would be enough to tank party-line legislation.
Menefee claimed victory over Democrat Amanda Edwards on a platform centered on universal (taxpayer-funded) health insurance and the dismantling of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Targeting the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations, he vowed to seek the impeachment of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
Menefee then sharpened his rhetoric by drawing a historical parallel to Barbara Jordan, the first Southern Black woman to serve in the U.S. House. Citing her influence during the Nixon impeachment inquiry, he used the precedent to highlight his own opposition to the Trump administration.
“The results here tonight are a mandate for me to work as hard as I can to oppose your agenda, to fight back against where you’re taking this country, and to investigate your crimes,” Menefee declared.
Governor Greg Abbott (R-Texas) originally sought to delay the special election, arguing that a six-month window was necessary for administrative preparation following Turner’s death. However, Democrats blasted the move as a stall tactic intended to maintain a larger Republican voting cushion in the House during a period of high-stakes legislation.
37-year-old Menefee entered the race with the full backing of the Texas Democrat establishment, earning endorsements from figures such as former congressman Beto O’Rourke and Senate candidate Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who campaigned alongside him on election day.
Menefee secured the seat with approximately 67% of the vote, though the contest was characterized by remarkably low turnout, with fewer than 14,000 early and mail-in ballots cast.
Menefee and Edwards are set for an immediate rematch on March 3rd in the Democrat primary for a redrawn version of the 18th District. This next contest, however, introduces a third player, longtime incumbent Rep. Al Green (D-Texas).
Long before this contest, Green had already built a notable — and unsuccessful — record on one specific issue. Green has introduced at least five impeachment resolutions against Trump throughout his two terms, none of which ever made it out of the starting gate. Green opted to run for the full 2027 term in this district after his current 9th District seat was significantly altered by mid-decade redistricting. This primary will effectively decide who represents the deep-blue stronghold for the full two-year term beginning in January 2027.
The road to this point began with the special election’s first round in November 2025, which featured a crowded field of 16 candidates from across the political spectrum.
Menefee and Edwards advanced to the runoff after leading the pack with 28.9% and 25.6% of the vote, respectively. While the initial round saw broader engagement, the January runoff saw a drop in participation, with a total of approximately 24,000 votes cast to decide the immediate successor for the seat.
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