From Fox News: Democrat Christian Menefee, a former attorney for Houston’s Harris County, has won a special congressional election in a left-leaning congressional district in Texas, which has been vacant for nearly a year.
The Associated Press reports that Menefee defeated former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards, a fellow Democrat, in Saturday’s runoff election to fill the seat left vacant when Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner died last March.
Menefee’s victory means the Republicans’ razor-thin House majority — they currently control the chamber 218-213 — will shrink by one seat when Menefee is sworn in to Congress.
Sylvester, a former longtime state lawmaker, served two terms as Houston mayor before winning election to Congress in 2024, to fill the seat of the late longtime Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.
However, Turner had only served in the House seat for two months, when he suddenly died, after attending President Donald Trump’s address to a Joint Session of Congress the previous night.
Now Menefee has won Turner’s seat, and when he is sworn in, Republicans will only hold the majority by 218-214, meaning they can only afford to lose ONE VOTE and still pass legislation.
Christian Menefee, 37, was the youngest, and first African American to serve as Harris County Attorney when he first took office in January 2021. He has filed several lawsuits against Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, including suing over the voting restrictions law passed by the legislature in 2021, and challenging state officials’ demands to audit the 2020 and 2022 elections in Harris County.
During the Covid pandemic, Menefee filed a lawsuit on behalf of Harris County against Texas Governor Greg Abbott over his ban on mask and vaccine mandates
On Thursday, Menefee announced, “I’ve been fighting for immigrant communities for years. I’ll do the same in Congress. Impeach Noem. Abolish ICE. Fix our immigration system.”
I’ve been fighting for immigrant communities for years. I’ll do the same in Congress.
Impeach Noem. Abolish ICE. Fix our immigration system. pic.twitter.com/x2d3qGq3FL
— Christian D. Menefee (@CDMenefee) January 29, 2026
The honor of a lifetime. Thank you, TX-18. pic.twitter.com/CtXwDCthF1
— Christian D. Menefee (@CDMenefee) February 1, 2026
Gun control activist David Hogg, founder of “Leaders We Deserve,” a group dedicated to helping “young, fearless progressives run and win campaigns,” cheered Menefee’s victory.
Congratulations, #TX18 Congressman-Elect @cdmenefee! @LeadersWeDeserv was proud to endorse & invest in Christian, a next-generation leader who will serve as a powerful check on lawlessness, corporate price-gouging, & polluters – all while lowering costs. pic.twitter.com/6C1Dh5DQ6v
— David Hogg 🟧 (@davidhogg111) February 1, 2026
READ MORE from Fox News.
Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter.)
The DML News App: www.X.com/DMLNewsApp
The Dennis Michael Lynch Podcast archive is available below, with the most recent on top. Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the show by downloading The DML News App or go to Apple Podcasts.
