Houston Voters to Pick New Representative for Vacant Congressional Seat

Amanda Edwards and Christian Menefee face off in runoff election for Texas' 18th Congressional District

Jan. 29, 2026 at 7:23am

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After the death of longtime Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee in 2024 and the unexpected passing of her successor Sylvester Turner in 2025, the 18th Congressional District in Houston has been without representation for 11 months. On Saturday, voters will choose between Amanda Edwards and Christian Menefee in a runoff election to fill the seat until the next Congress is seated in January.

Why it matters

The 18th District is a bastion of Democratic power in Texas, having voted for Kamala Harris by a 40-point margin in 2024. With the House of Representatives narrowly divided, the winner of this election could play a pivotal role in the legislative process. Residents have also felt the absence of a strong advocate for the district, particularly during crises like hurricane season.

The details

Edwards and Menefee emerged from a crowded 16-candidate special election in November, with Menefee finishing first and Edwards second. They now face off in a runoff to serve out the remainder of Turner's term. Both candidates are Democrats, but have different backgrounds - Edwards is a former city council member focused on infrastructure and disaster recovery, while Menefee is the former Harris County attorney known for his combative approach to Republican state leaders. The winner will immediately face a primary challenge from longtime Rep. Al Green, whose district was redrawn to include much of the 18th.

  • Sheila Jackson Lee, the previous representative, died in 2024.
  • Sylvester Turner, who was appointed to replace Jackson Lee, passed away in March 2025.
  • The special election to fill the vacancy was held in November 2025, with a runoff scheduled for January 31, 2026.
  • Early voting for the runoff took place from January 17-28, 2026.
  • The winner of the runoff will serve until the next Congress is seated in January 2027.

The players

Amanda Edwards

A former member of the Houston City Council, Edwards is running on her experience in public finance and disaster recovery.

Christian Menefee

The former Harris County attorney, Menefee is campaigning as a fighter who will take on Republican leaders like Greg Abbott and Ken Paxton.

Sheila Jackson Lee

The longtime Congresswoman who represented the 18th District until her death in 2024.

Sylvester Turner

The former mayor of Houston who was appointed to replace Jackson Lee but passed away in 2025.

Al Green

The longtime Democratic Congressman whose district was redrawn to include much of the 18th, setting up a primary challenge to the winner of the runoff.

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What they’re saying

“We don't have a voice in D.C. where last year we desperately needed it. One vote could have changed some things. We could have had someone there being that voice for us. But of course, that was all by design.”

— Shamier Bouie, Chair of the Houston Black American Democrats (cw39.com)

“Since Trump has been elected, everybody opens their door. It's totally different. They want to talk. They want to feel like something can change.”

— Amanda Edwards, Candidate for Texas' 18th Congressional District (cw39.com)

“I was doing the fight before it was cool. It's become kind of cliche in the Democratic Party now, for everybody to say that they fight. Now everybody's kind of giving the fighter message. So it's good for me in that I'm not pretending. I'm not selling a product. This is who I am, and this is how I believe that opposition has to work when you're dealing with the Trump administration.”

— Christian Menefee, Candidate for Texas' 18th Congressional District (cw39.com)

What’s next

The winner of the January 31 runoff election will immediately face a primary challenge from longtime Rep. Al Green, whose district was redrawn to include much of the 18th Congressional District. Early voting for that primary will begin in early March 2026.

The takeaway

This special election to fill the vacant 18th Congressional District seat in Houston highlights the high stakes and intense political battles playing out in a narrowly divided Congress. Voters in this deep-blue district are eager to have their voice restored in Washington, and the outcome could shift the balance of power on key issues.