Rep. Menefee Defeats Rep. Green to Win Democratic Primary in Texas’s 18th Congressional District

Rep. Christian Menefee (D-Texas) defeated Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) to win the Democratic primary in Texas’s 18th Congressional District on May 26. Menefee is expected to face Republican Ronald Whitfield in the general election this November. Because the Houston-based district is overwhelmingly Democratic, Menefee is expected to win. The contest marked the latest chapter in a turbulent period for the district. The political upheaval began after the death of longtime Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) in 2024. Months later, former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner—who succeeded Jackson Lee in Congress—died just two months into his term. The vacancy soon became a major issue in Texas politics after Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, postponed calling a special election until November 2025, leaving the district without representation in Congress for roughly eight months during a closely divided session....