Christian Menefee beats 20-year incumbent Al Green in TX-18 Democratic primary

Christian Menefee unseated Al Green in TX-18 Democratic primary on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

Menefee, who is a new entrant in politics defeated longtime Rep. Al Green in the Democratic primary runoff in Texas’ 18th Congressional District.

Menefee, 38, was elected to Congress this year after he won a special election to replace Rep. Sylvester Turner, a Democratic who passed away last year.

Green, 78, decided to run in the deep-blue state, Houston-based 18th District after his 9th District was reconfigured.

Both candidates projected themselves as vocal critics of Trump policies.

The 20-year incumbent is seeking a 12th term and is considered a critic of President Donald Trump.

Just in March this year, during POTUS State of the Union address, he was ejected from the House chamber for creating a ruckus.

Menefee, who had served as the Harris County attorney, during the campaign referred to lawsuits his office filed against the Trump administration as proof.

As per the latest results, including from Harris County, where most of the redrawn 18th District falls, Menefee secured 69.5% of roughly 24,000 votes cast per CNN.

The District also includes parts of Brazoria and Fort Bend counties.

The District has witnessed two sitting representatives pass away in 2024 and 2025, leaving the district vacant for most of the last two years.

First it went vacant when longtime Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee passed away in July 2024 until her daughter, Erica Lee Carter, was sworn in to complete the rest of her term in November of that year.

Turner assumed the office in January 2025 but died just months later.

The District has a long history of being represented by Black for over five decades starting in 1973 with Rep. Barbara Jordan, the first Southern Black woman elected to the House.