In the Texas 18th Congressional District Runoff, Menefee Defeats Green
In a rare incumbent-on-incumbent matchup, U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee defeated U.S. Rep. Al Green on Tuesday, according to projections from NBC News and the Associated Press. The race was triggered by Republican-led redistricting. Menefee will now face Republican nominee Ronald Whitfield in the November general election.
"Menefee called Green an 'icon' and stated, 'Tonight belongs to the people of this district.'"
The Candidates and the Race
- Winner: Christian Menefee, 38, was sworn into Congress in February 2026 after winning a January special election. He previously served as Harris County attorney.
- Runner-up: Al Green, 78, had represented the 9th Congressional District since 2005. He chose to run in the 18th District after his previous district was redrawn to favor Republicans.
Election Results
- The runoff was necessary after neither candidate received a majority in the March 3 primary, where Menefee had more votes.
- According to early voting results from Harris County, which contains most of the district, Menefee received 70.4% of nearly 24,000 votes. A technical issue in Fort Bend County caused voting delays, but Menefee's lead in Harris County was sufficient to declare victory.
Redistricting and District Background
- The matchup resulted from congressional maps approved by the Texas legislature in 2025. The left-leaning District 18 was redrawn to include portions of Green's prior 9th District.
- The 18th District has experienced two sitting representatives dying in 2024 and 2025, leaving it vacant for much of the past two years. The seat became vacant after the deaths of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (July 2024) and her successor, former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner (March 2025).
Candidate Positions and Statements
- Both candidates emphasized opposition to President Donald Trump. Menefee cited lawsuits his office filed against the Trump administration. Green, a vocal opponent, filed articles of impeachment and was ejected from the House chamber during Trump's State of the Union addresses in 2025 and 2026.
- Menefee benefited from over $5 million in outside spending from Protect Progress, a super PAC aligned with cryptocurrency industry leaders. Green criticized the influx of megadonor money; Menefee said he supports changing campaign finance laws to ban super PACs.
- Following his defeat, Green stated the election result is "the beginning of a new chapter."
- Geoff Vetter, a spokesperson for the pro-cryptocurrency super PAC Fairshake, stated that "Rep. Green's defeat proves that anti-crypto hostility carries real electoral consequences."
- President Donald Trump commented on the result via social media, calling Green "one of the most mentally deficient Congressmen in the history of our Country" but adding he would miss Green's protests during State of the Union speeches.
General Election
Menefee will face Republican nominee Ronald Dwayne Whitfield in the November general election. The district is considered strongly Democratic.