Democrats Score Key Texas Wins Narrowing GOP Edge

After nearly a year without representation, voters in Texas' 18th Congressional District have finally chosen their new voice in Washington. On Saturday, January 31, 2026, Christian Menefee, a former Harris County Attorney and prominent Democrat, defeated Amanda Edwards, a former Houston City Council member, in a special election runoff. The decisive victory—Menefee took about 68.4% of the vote to Edwards' 31.6%, according to the Harris County Clerk’s Office—ends a 332-day vacancy left after the death of Rep. Sylvester Turner in March 2025, as reported by the Houston Chronicle and Associated Press.

The district, which encompasses much of Houston and surrounding areas, has a storied history of sending influential Black Democrats to Congress. Menefee’s win not only restores representation for the district but also shifts the balance in the U.S. House of Representatives, narrowing the Republican majority to 218-214, as noted by Reuters. With all 435 House seats up for grabs in the November 2026 midterms, every seat—and every vote—counts.

Menefee’s campaign drew on his experience as Harris County’s chief attorney, where he became known for challenging Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton in court. According to NewsNation, Menefee also worked with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund during the Trump administration’s 2017 travel ban on Muslim countries, an experience he highlighted in his campaign. Edwards, for her part, is recognized for her tenure on the Houston City Council and for founding a nonprofit aimed at empowering women.

Turner’s death just weeks into his first term left the district without a representative for nearly 11 months. Governor Abbott set the special election date for November 2025, citing concerns about Harris County’s election administration. Some political observers, however, suggested the delay was a strategic move to help Republicans maintain their slender advantage in the House. The delay meant that, for almost a year, the people of the 18th District had no one advocating for them in Washington—a fact Menefee addressed directly in his victory speech.

“President Trump, my message to you is this: You’ve gone nearly a year without hearing from the people of the 18th Congressional District of Texas,” Menefee declared on election night, as quoted by the Houston Chronicle. “The results here tonight are a mandate for me to work as hard as I can to oppose your agenda, to fight back against where you’re taking this country, and to investigate your crimes.” He also pledged to "tear up ICE from the roots" and push for immigration system reforms, vowing to bring his "fighter mentality" to Congress.

The race itself was shaped by a crowded November 2025 special election, where sixteen candidates—a mix of Democrats, Republicans, and independents—vied for the seat. Menefee and Edwards emerged as the top two vote-getters, with Menefee leading at 28.9% and Edwards at 25.6%. The runoff saw lower turnout than the first round, with just over 13,600 votes cast during early voting and another 10,000 on Election Day, according to the Houston Chronicle. In the end, Menefee’s margin widened from the early voting period, clinching a clear and convincing victory.

Menefee’s candidacy was bolstered by endorsements from influential Texas Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who said, “I already told him, he's flying back to DC with me tomorrow so Speaker Johnson can conduct his swearing-in expeditiously.” He also received support from Erica Lee Carter, daughter of the district’s longtime representative Sheila Jackson Lee, and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke. Edwards, meanwhile, was endorsed by Houston state Rep. Jolanda Jones, who had placed third in the first round of the special election.

But Menefee’s time to celebrate will be brief. Due to mid-decade redistricting led by Texas’ GOP-controlled legislature—an effort pushed by former President Donald Trump to create more winnable seats for Republicans—Menefee will face a Democratic primary on March 3, 2026. This contest will pit him against Amanda Edwards once again and, notably, against U.S. Rep. Al Green, who was redistricted into the 18th District from the neighboring 9th. The new district lines mean that only about a quarter of the current residents will be able to vote in the March primary, further complicating the political landscape.

That’s not the only notable election from Saturday. In a dramatic upset, Democrat Taylor Rehmet won a special election for the Texas state Senate, flipping a district that President Trump carried by 17 points in 2024. Rehmet, a labor union leader, Air Force veteran, and machinist, defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss by more than 14 percentage points in the Fort Worth-area district. “This win goes to everyday working people,” Rehmet told supporters, as reported by the Associated Press. His campaign focused on lowering costs, supporting public education, and protecting jobs, and he received significant backing from the Democratic National Committee and the veterans group VoteVets, which spent $500,000 on ads.

Rehmet’s victory is particularly striking given the district’s deep-red reputation. The seat was left open after four-term GOP incumbent Kelly Hancock resigned to take a statewide office. While Hancock had easily won each of his elections, Rehmet’s win underscores what Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin called “a warning sign to Republicans across the country.” However, the Texas Legislature won’t reconvene until 2027, and Republicans still maintain a comfortable majority in the chamber. Rehmet will need to win again in the November general election to secure a full four-year term.

For Democrats, these victories are part of a broader trend of overperforming in special elections since Trump’s return to the White House. The party has scored wins in governor races in Virginia and New Jersey, and special elections in Kentucky and Iowa have also gone their way. Even in races where Republicans have prevailed, slimmer margins have given Democrats hope heading into the fall midterms.

In Washington, Menefee’s arrival comes at a critical moment. The House faces looming votes on contentious issues such as immigration enforcement and health insurance subsidies—measures likely to be decided by razor-thin margins. Speaker Mike Johnson has said he believes Republicans have the votes to end a partial government shutdown by Tuesday, but with every seat in play, nothing is guaranteed.

As Menefee put it in his victory statement, “This district has a long history of bold leadership. I'm honored to carry that legacy forward and fight every day to make sure the people of the 18th have a seat at the table and a fighter that won't back down.” For both Menefee and Rehmet, the real work begins now—fighting for their districts, defending their seats in upcoming primaries, and navigating a political landscape that’s anything but predictable.