Overview
- Menefee was called the winner by the Associated Press after the May 26 runoff, leading roughly 68.6% to 31.4% with most results reported, securing the Democratic nomination for the redrawn 18th District.
- Texas Republicans redrew congressional lines in 2025 that moved parts of Green’s base into the new 18th District, creating the rare incumbent-on-incumbent primary that produced this runoff.
- Outside spending from crypto‑aligned groups, reported at more than $5 million for Menefee, played a major role in the final weeks and drew sharp criticism from Green as a decisive factor.
- Menefee previously won a special election and was sworn into Congress earlier in 2026 to fill the late Rep. Sylvester Turner’s seat, and he will face Republican Ronald Whitfield in November in a district that is safely Democratic.
- The result signals generational turnover in Houston Democratic politics, ends Green’s roughly 20‑year congressional career, and highlights how mid‑decade maps and big outside money can reshape local representation.