House GOP Majority Shrinks as Texas Democrats Face Off in Crucial Runoff

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House GOP Majority Shrinks as Texas Democrats Face Off in Crucial Runoff/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Democrats Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards are battling in a Houston-area special election that will reduce the GOP’s already slim House majority. The winner fills the seat vacated by the late Rep. Sylvester Turner. Winter weather and redistricting have added complexity to an already consequential race.

Democrats Christian Menefee (left) and Amanda Edwards (right). House GOP Majority Shrinks as Texas Democrats Face Off in Crucial House Runoff

Texas House Special Election: Quick Looks

Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards face off Saturday in a runoff
Winner replaces late Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner in TX-18
Seat is safely Democratic; race won’t alter party control
Runoff narrows GOP’s already slim House majority (currently 218–213)
Turnout impacted by winter weather, prompting court-ordered voting extensions
Menefee: Harris County attorney, backed by Beto O’Rourke
Edwards: Ex-Houston council member, endorsed by Jolanda Jones
Both Democrats face Rep. Al Green in March 3 primary for new district

FILE – Democratic 18th Congressional District candidate Christian Menefee greets voters near a polling place on Nov. 4, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, file)

FILE – Democratic 18th Congressional District candidate Amanda Edwards speaks during an election night watch party on Nov. 4, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, file)

Deep Look: Menefee and Edwards Compete in Texas Special Election That Will Tighten GOP’s House Margin

Two prominent Texas Democrats — Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards — are squaring off in a special runoff election on Saturday that, while it won’t flip party control, will further shrink the House GOP’s razor-thin majority.

The contest, taking place in Houston’s 18th Congressional District, fills the seat vacated by the late Rep. Sylvester Turner, a longtime state lawmaker and former Houston mayor who passed away in March 2025. The winner will serve the remainder of his term through January 2027.

How We Got Here

The path to the runoff has been long. Although Turner died in early 2025, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott scheduled the all-party primary for November — nearly eight months later — a move Democrats criticized as a partisan ploy to preserve GOP votes in a closely divided House. The 18th District leans heavily Democratic, with a majority-minority population.

In the first round of voting, Menefee and Edwards emerged as the top two candidates among a crowded field of 16. Since neither cleared the 50% threshold, the race advanced to a runoff under Texas election law.

Candidate Profiles

Christian Menefee currently serves as Harris County attorney and was the first Black person elected to the post. He gained attention for challenging some of President Trump’s executive orders in court and received endorsements from Texas Democrats like Beto O’Rourke and Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
Amanda Edwards is a former Houston City Council member who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2020 and again in a 2024 primary challenge against Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Edwards picked up a key endorsement from State Rep. Jolanda Jones, the third-place finisher in the November race.

Implications for the House

Though both candidates are Democrats, the election has national significance because the GOP holds a fragile 218–213 majority in the House. With three other special elections scheduled, each seat matters.

“They’d better be here,” House Speaker Mike Johnson warned his caucus. “No adventure sports, no risk-taking, take your vitamins.”

A Democratic victory in the TX-18 runoff adds one more vote to their ranks, giving the GOP even less margin for error on key legislative battles.

The Redistricting Wild Card

This special election is being held under existing district maps, but Texas Republicans, pushed by Trump allies, redrew maps last summer to create five more winnable districts for Republicans. Those new boundaries go into effect for the 2026 midterms — including a March 3 primary in which Menefee and Edwards will face off again, this time against Rep. Al Green in the reconfigured 18th District.

Weather Disruptions and Voting Rights Concerns

Winter storms added confusion to the race, leading local officials to cancel two days of early voting. Civil rights groups sued, and a court granted an extension through Thursday. Polls will remain open for 12 hours on Saturday.

The weather challenges and delayed special election scheduling have raised concerns about voter suppression and access, especially in a district where many rely on in-person voting.