Texas Primary: Green vs Menefee – A Democratic Battle
- A closely watched Democratic primary in Texas’ 18th Congressional District is pitting two current members of Congress against each other: Christian Menefee and Al Green.
- The unusual matchup stems from a mid-decade redistricting effort by Texas Republicans, undertaken at the behest of former President Donald Trump, which redrew congressional maps last summer.
- He faces a challenge from Christian Menefee, who recently won a January 31, 2026, special election runoff to fill the seat vacated by the death of Representative Sylvester...
Menefee and Green Face Off in Texas 18th Congressional District Democratic Primary
A closely watched Democratic primary in Texas’ 18th Congressional District is pitting two current members of Congress against each other: Christian Menefee and Al Green. The contest, shaped by recent redistricting and a conversation about generational change, will largely determine who represents the reliably blue district for the coming term.
The unusual matchup stems from a mid-decade redistricting effort by Texas Republicans, undertaken at the behest of former President Donald Trump, which redrew congressional maps last summer. Much of the 9th Congressional District, currently represented by Al Green, a 20-year House veteran, was incorporated into the 18th District. Green, whose home is now within the boundaries of the 18th, is seeking to continue his service in the new configuration.
He faces a challenge from Christian Menefee, who recently won a , special election runoff to fill the seat vacated by the death of Representative Sylvester Turner. Turner, a former Houston mayor, had been selected by Harris County Democratic Party officials to replace Representative Sheila Jackson Lee on the November ballot after Jackson Lee launched an unsuccessful mayoral bid and subsequently passed away in June.
The primary is scheduled for , with early voting beginning on . The 18th District is considered a safe Democratic seat, meaning the winner of the primary is widely expected to prevail in the general election.
Recent polling suggests Menefee has a significant lead in the race. A survey released by the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs shows 52% of likely Democratic voters in the new 18th District intend to vote for Menefee. Green trails with 28% support, according to the same survey. The poll mirrors earlier findings released by the Menefee campaign.
Mark Jones, a survey co-author from Rice University’s Baker Institute, noted that while voters generally hold favorable opinions of both candidates, Menefee is the preferred choice when forced to decide. “What we see in the survey is that four-fifths of likely voters have a favorable opinion of both Menefee and Green,” Jones said. “But when asked to choose between them, a substantial majority are leaning towards Menefee.”
The poll also indicates Menefee holds a 7-percentage-point lead over Green even within the portions of the Houston district that Green currently represents in the 9th Congressional District. This suggests Menefee’s appeal extends beyond voters newly added to the district through redistricting.
Jones characterized the dynamic as a preference for a “younger candidate or perhaps the new generation.” The contest reflects a broader trend in Houston politics, where long-serving Democratic members of Congress have historically remained in office for decades. The opening created by Jackson Lee’s mayoral run and subsequent passing presented a rare opportunity for an up-and-coming Democrat to enter the field.
If neither Menefee nor Green secures more than 50 percent of the vote on , the top two finishers will advance to a runoff election.