Newly elected TX-18 Congressman Christian Menefee outlines future plans

The results for the 18th Congressional District runoff election were called not long after the polls closed at 7 pm. By the time the votes were counted, Christian Menefee had unseated Al Green, one of the longest-serving members of Texas’ congressional delegation, whose 20-year fixture in Houston politics was highlighted by his fight against President Donald Trump.

Fresh off the runoff victory with 71% of the votes, Menefee, 38, says his focus will be on lowering costs for working families and defending voting rights. The former Harris County attorney and one of Texas’ youngest Black elected leaders will now represent TX-18 for a full term starting January 2027.

A tumultuous election cycle

The two Congressmen were running for the newly redrawn 18th Congressional District, a result of a mid-decade redistricting effort after President Donald Trump asked for five additional seats from Texas to enhance Republican performance in the midterm elections in November.

Both Menefee and Green advanced to a runoff election after neither cleared the 50% threshold in the March primary, in which Menefee won more votes.

As a result of the redistricting, large swaths of Green’s 9th Congressional District were merged into the 18th, Menefee’s home base. It forced an incumbent-on-incumbent clash that tested turnout, name recognition, and appetite for generational change and ultimately cost Green his political streak.

Green, 78, represented TX-9, where he had been undefeated since 2004 and brought decades of experience, including multiple articles of impeachment filed during the president’s first and second terms. He has also faced removal from two of Trump’s addresses for protesting. He ran on the argument “seniority matters,” referring to committee placements in Congress and that he had been in politics longer than most.

This was the fourth election in seven months in the district. TX-18 has been in turmoil since the deaths of Congressmen Sheila Jackson Lee and Sylvester Turner. It left the seat vacant for eight months before Governor Greg Abbott called for a special election in November of 2025 for the unexpired term. That election resulted in a runoff between Amanda Edwards and Menefee, which he won.

A new district with a new direction

During his victory speech, Menefee said people are asking for a “new brand” for the Democratic Party.

On policy, the two Congressmen shared a similar vision but differed on cryptocurrency. Green has been skeptical of the industry, while Menefee embraced it, which in turn invested in his congressional bid.

Menefee called the Black voter base the “most reliable voting bloc” for the Democratic Party, and that is the time “for the feeling to be reciprocated.”

First among Menefee’s priorities is “putting money back in people’s pockets.” His economic priorities also include creating opportunities in a district where people work multiple jobs, opt out of health care, and delay retirement due to rising costs.

“Right now, America is more expensive than it’s ever been,” he told the Defender. “There used to be a time you could work 40 hours a week, get the house, the cars, and retire at a reasonable age. Most people aren’t doing that now. They’re working multiple jobs…That means we’ve got to raise the minimum wage. We’ve got to invest in our small businesses. People need healthcare across our community.” 

His other priority is accountability, and he names his target directly, the Trump administration. Menefee said he would serve on a committee focused on oversight that would “hold the Trump administration accountable” when Democrats “get the majority back,” preparing before hearings.

When it comes to protecting voting rights, he said his constituents can expect legislation that includes a ban on partisan gerrymandering the next time Democrats hold the White House, the House, and the Senate. If it is not, he pledged to “call their ass out”.

“My first loyalty is to my district, but there’s a lot I can’t get done for my district without us having a true representative governor of the state,” he said. “Leveling right now, we have a bunch of fanatics who run our government. We have crazies running to the furthest element of the party. We need to pass comprehensive voting rights legislation, and that means ensuring that nobody can do partisan gerrymandering across this country. Last time Democrats had the trifecta, we didn’t get it done.”

Relationship with Green

Menefee thanked Green for his leadership and putting up a fight against Trump “to his face, even when he stood alone,” and said this election is not a testament to his legacy.

Would he be open to being mentored by Green, if he is willing?

“I would absolutely be open to it,” Menefee told the Defender. “To the extent Congressman Green wanted to mentor me, it would be an absolute honor to have his guidance, his advice, and his mentorship moving forward.”

What’s next?

Menefee will face Republican nominee Ronald Dwayne Whitfield in the general election, though the district presents a steep climb for the GOP. In the newly redrawn maps, former Vice President Kamala Harris would have carried it by 55 points in 2024. 

The real work, Menefee said, begins after November, as he has also set his sights beyond his own district.

Flipping Texas, he argued, requires Democrats to compete everywhere. Menefee pledged to campaign across the state to support down-ballot nominees.

Menefee joked that the immediate future may first involve rest.

“Man, I need to sleep,” he said.