Democratic Reps. Green, Menefee advance to runoff in redrawn Texas district

In a race that pitted two incumbents against each other, Democratic Reps. Al Green and Christian Menefee will advance to a runoff in the race for Texas 18th Congressional District, CBS News projects. 

Menefee was elected to represent the 18th Congressional District in a January special election to replace Rep. Sylvester Turner, who died last year. Menefee, a former Harris County Attorney, did not secure enough votes against several challengers to stave off a runoff in the Nov. 4 special election, sending him to the January runoff against Amanda Edwards — meaning he has been on the ballot three times in the past four months. 

The district had been redrawn during last summer’s redistricting push, encompassing most of what had been Green’s district, leading Green to run in the 18th District. 

Green has been in Congress since 2005. During President Trump’s terms in the White House, Green has been a vocal antagonist against him. 

During Mr. Trump’s speech before the joint session of Congress in 2025, Green was escorted from the House chamber after interrupting the speech, and the House later voted to censure him. And during Mr. Trump’s State of the Union last week, Green was ejected again after holding a sign that said “Black People Aren’t Apes,” referencing a video Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social with racist footage of Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. 

Green was also among the federal lawmakers who pushed to remove Mr. Trump from office during his last term, introducing the first articles of impeachment against him in 2017 and threatening to do it again in 2025 when the president suggested a U.S. takeover of Gaza. 

Looming large over the race is age: Green is 79 while Menefee is 37. Green has argued his age and seniority are benefits, given that he has risen among the ranks of Democrats in Congress. But before Menefee was elected, the seat was held by Turner, who died in office at the age of 70 only months after being sworn in. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott didn’t schedule a race to fill the seat until November 2025, leaving Democrats with one fewer seat in Congress for months. 

The Houston-area district is heavily Democratic, meaning the winner of the primary is likely to win the seat in November.