Democrat Christian Menefee wins election for US House, narrowing GOP's slim majority

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JOHN HANNA
Updated 10:28 PM CST, January 31, 2026

Democrat Christian Menefee won a Texas U.S. House seat in a special election Saturday that will narrow Republicans’ already-slim majority, telling President Donald Trump that the Democratic district “topples corrupt presidencies.”

Menefee, the Harris County attorney, prevailed in a runoff against Amanda Edwards, a former Houston City Council member. He will replace the late Rep. Sylvester Turner, a former Houston mayor, who died in March 2025.

The seat representing the heavily Democratic Houston-based district has been vacant for nearly a year.

Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott didn’t schedule the first round of voting until November. Menefee and Edwards were the top vote-getters in a 16-candidate, all-parties primary. They advanced to a runoff because no candidate won a majority of the vote.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/congress-special-election-houston-redistricting-59fe9c414540572bb783b5e98eb586e1

[Coldwater]

1. the lead has been narrowed down 218 to 214

Last edited Sun Feb 1, 2026, 06:16 AM - Edit history (1)

with 3 special elections later this year to fill vacancies in Georgia, New Jersey and California, things could get very, very interesting

[Tetrachloride]

18. ty for the count. Not enough math in many DU and Media posts

[littlemissmartypants]

21. What lead? Votes? I don't get it. Sorry.

[eppur_se_muova]

22. Seats in the House (Federal). If two Rs don't vote with the leadership, ***CORRECTION***Rs lose.

Last edited Sun Feb 1, 2026, 11:34 PM - Edit history (2)

It's embarrassing to make mistakes like that ! But the news was so heady my brain sort of took off on its own trip.

[littlemissmartypants]

24. Got it, thanks. ❤️

[Kaleva]

25. Who is VD?

[eppur_se_muova]

26. Our Vice President ...

darn it, those two keys are so close together on the keyboard I just keep making that same typo !

[List left]

31. I thought it stood for "Vice Dunce" nt

[Kaleva]

34. Thanks for the clarification!

I thought you may have meant that but wasn’t sure.

Reminds me of that ditty played on those VD psa’s . “VD is for everybody! Not just you and me!” Or something like that

[InstantGratification]

33. A mistake with your post

The math is correct, but Vance doesn't get to break ties in the House, only the Senate. A tie in the House is the same as losing the vote outright.

[Smackdown2019]

35. Your correct

Your correct... VP does the senate...

[niyad]

37. You're correct?

[eppur_se_muova]

36. Oops, you're right !! So it only takes two rogues to screw the pooch. nt

[thought crime]

2. This is great. Congrats Rep. Menefee !!

[sheshe2]

3. Kickin' ass in Texas!

[calimary]

5. Super news!

Congratulations to Democrat Christian Menefee!!!

One by one, we’re gettin’ it done!

[C Moon]

6. Awesome news! This ICE crap is hurting the gop.

[Skittles]

7. it is

even some conservatives I know, they're not condemning it but they're not fawning over it either

[2naSalit]

8. K&R

[PatSeg]

9. Such an impressive looking young man

I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of him in years to come.

[LtTx]

15. Hopefully so, but he faces a well known Houston politician

Al Green was drawn out of his district. He will be running against Menafee in the primary.

[PatSeg]

19. Yes and I always try to make allowances

for cheating and voter suppression.

[Callie1979]

10. Is this AFTER the illegal District redrawing? nt

[LtTx]

14. After...

However District 18 is still blue. The bigger issue is District 9- Al Green's district- which he was drawn out of. So he has indicated that he will run for the District 18 seat in the next election cycle. So we are probably going to lose the District 9 blue seat. District 18 is blue and looks to remain that way.

[Callie1979]

16. So we have no one worth a damn in all of District 9?

I mean, I KNOW it's been drawn to be a bigger Red district but I wonder what the spread is with the new voters compared to the old. Maybe It COULD still be won with the right candidate.
I guess the silver lining is even if his seat if lost its a wash with the Dems taking this other seat. Unless they lose it in Nov; because I assume they have to run again for the full term.

[LtTx]

17. Well, not at this moment

The redrawn District 9 encompasses a large, rural red area. All signs point to it being a red district now. East Texas rural areas are notoriously red. Remember Louie Gohmert.

[Callie1979]

20. Ugh. Do I HAVE to?

[bluestarone]

11. So will johnson wait 6 months to swear him in?

I know he won't, but had to mention it.

[Demsrule86]

12. Rec....

[Kid Berwyn]

13. Topple Trump!

Rep. Menefee has got it.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

23. Christian is a good lawyer and a good guy

My oldest child lives in this district and voted for Christian

[AllaN01Bear]

27. ""

go, team go.,

[FakeNoose]

28. Congrats to Congressman-elect Christian Menefree and to Texas Democrats!

Well done! This is awesome and it gives all of us hope!

[sinkingfeeling]

29. Will Mikey swear him in? When?

[MustLoveBeagles]

30. Congratulations 👏

[ananda]

32. Finally!

Well done, Houston!

[niyad]

38. So how long will that scumbag mosesmike delay swearing him in?