According to projections from NBC News, Rep. Christian Menefee has defeated Rep. Al Green in the closely watched 18th Congressional District race in Texas. This followed Republican-led efforts that forced the two Democratic incumbents into the same Houston-area district. In the first round of voting held in March, Menefee received 46% of the vote while Green secured 44%, triggering a runoff after neither candidate won a majority.
Menefee, 38, entered Congress earlier this year after winning a special election to replace former Congressman Sylvester Turner, who died in 2025. Before joining Congress, Menefee served as the County Attorney for Harris County.
Green, 78, sought reelection in the heavily Democratic 18th District after changes to his previous district made it more favorable to Republicans. The veteran lawmaker has served in Congress for more than two decades and became nationally known for repeatedly pushing impeachment efforts against President Donald Trump.
During the campaign, both candidates emphasized opposition to Trump and highlighted their records challenging his administration. Menefee pointed to lawsuits filed during his time as Harris County attorney, while Green leaned on his long record of confrontations with Trump in Congress.
The race also drew national attention because of outside spending. NBC News reported that Menefee benefited from more than $5 million in support from Protect Progress, a super PAC aligned with cryptocurrency industry leaders. Green criticized the role of large donor spending throughout the campaign, while Menefee said campaign finance laws should eventually ban super PACs.
Christian Menefee defeated Al Green in Texas’ 18th Congressional District which has historically been represented by Black lawmakers for more than 50 years, beginning with Barbara Jordan, the first Black woman from the South elected to Congress.
The district experienced multiple leadership changes in recent years following the deaths of Sheila Jackson Lee in 2024 and Sylvester Turner in 2025.
