The Democratic primary for Houston’s 18th Congressional District is shaping up to head toward a runoff, with U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee holding a narrow lead over longtime Rep. Al Green. The numbers and the potential runoff timeline were first reported by Axios.
Early results show the two Democrats locked in a tight contest that neither appears likely to win outright. Under Texas election rules, candidates must receive more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff.
With about 87% of ballots counted as of 4:00 AM, Menefee held roughly 46% with 40,074 votes. Green followed closely with 44%, totaling 38,806 votes.
Because neither candidate crossed the 50% threshold, the race appears likely to advance to a runoff election. Other candidates included Amanda Edwards with 7.6% of the vote and Gretchen Brown with about 2%, as counting continued.
On the Republican side, Ronald Whitfield won the GOP primary with 55% of the vote over Elizabeth Vences, who received 45%. The district has historically leaned Democratic, which keeps the focus on the primary and the runoff logistics, alongside unrelated developments like blockchain breach exposed accounts.
Green has represented parts of Houston in Congress since first winning election in 2004. He entered the 18th District race after his previous seat was redrawn to lean Republican.
Menefee is running during his first year in Congress after winning a special election earlier in 2026. He was sworn into office in February to fill the seat left vacant after the death of Rep. Sylvester Turner in 2025.
Because the special election only filled the remainder of the current term, Menefee must run again to hold the seat for the next full congressional cycle beginning in 2027. The close primary has also turned attention to campaign tone and outside support as the field narrows.
Speaking to supporters Tuesday night, Menefee acknowledged the narrow lead while cautioning that the race was far from decided. He criticized Green’s campaign as negative while saying he would stay focused on integrity and serving local communities.
Green had not addressed supporters as vote counting continued. In a now-deleted video posted last month, Green criticized Menefee over completing a questionnaire from a crypto Super PAC.
Green described the support as a “deal with the devil,” suggesting it aligned Menefee with crypto interests connected to former President Donald Trump. The race has also reflected how quickly local campaigns can be pulled into national disputes, including school shooter parent conviction.
Green is widely known for his opposition to Trump and previously filed three unsuccessful articles of impeachment during Trump’s first term. He was also removed from Trump’s State of the Union address last week and from a speech to a joint session of Congress last year.
University of Houston political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus said the two candidates likely share similar ideological goals despite different styles. He said Green brings seniority and national prominence on progressive issues, while Menefee’s profile centers more on legal advocacy and local problem-solving.
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