Texas' 18 Congressional District election results: Christian Menefee wins runoff

HOUSTON - Houston Democrat Christian Menefee has been elected to the U.S. House, filling the vacant seat in Texas' 18th Congressional District.

Menefee won in a runoff against Amanda Edwards on Saturday.

He will finish out late U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner's term that expires in January 2027.

Who is Christian Menefee?

Menefee worked as a commercial litigator in Houston before becoming the youngest and first Black Harris County Attorney in 2020.

A message on his campaign site reads, "Christian is running for Congress because working people deserve a government that has their back. Trump and his allies are making life harder for everyday Americans—rolling back voting rights, attacking reproductive freedom, and rigging the economy for billionaires. Christian has spent his career fighting back against bullies, and he’s ready to do it in Washington."

About Texas’ 18th Congressional District

Texas’ 18th Congressional District includes much of inner-city Houston and the surrounding areas. It reportedly represents over 760,000 Houstonians as of the 2020 Census.

U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee represented the district for nearly three decades from 1995 until her death in July 2024.

Jackson Lee’s daughter, Erica Lee Carter, won a special election to finish out her mother’s term from November 2024 to January 2025.

Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner was elected to represent Texas' 18th Congressional District for the following term in the November 2024 election. He took office in January 2025 and passed away in March, leaving the seat vacant.