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Christian Menefee

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This candidate participated in a 2026 battleground election. Click here to read more about that election.
Christian Menefee
Candidate, U.S. House Texas District 18
U.S. House Texas District 18
Tenure
2026 - Present
Term ends
2027
Years in position
0
Predecessor: Sylvester Turner (D)
Prior offices:
Harris County Attorney
Years in office: 2021 - 2025
Predecessor: Vince Ryan (D)
Successor: Jonathan Fombonne (D)

Compensation
Base salary
$174,000
Elections and appointments
Last election
March 3, 2026
Next election
May 26, 2026
Education
Bachelor's
University of Texas, San Antonio, 2010
Law
Washington University, St. Louis School of Law, 2013
Personal
Birthplace
Petaluma, CA
Religion
Christian
Profession
Public servant
Contact

Christian Menefee (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing Texas' 18th Congressional District. He assumed office on February 2, 2026. His current term ends on January 3, 2027.

Menefee (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 18th Congressional District. He is on the ballot in the Democratic primary runoff on May 26, 2026. He advanced from the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.

Biography

Christian Menefee was born in Petaluma, California. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2010 and a law degree from Washington University, St. Louis School of Law in 2013. His career experience includes working as a public servant.[1][2]

2026 battleground elections

See also: Texas' 18th Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Democratic primary)

Ballotpedia identified the March 3 Democratic primary for Texas' 18th Congressional District as a battleground election. The summary below is from our coverage of this election, found here. Incumbents Al Green (D) and Christian Menefee (D) advanced to a May 26 runoff after neither received more than 50% of the vote in the Democratic primary for Texas' 18th Congressional District on March 3, 2026. As of March 2026, Green and Menefee led the candidate field in local media attention.[3] Click here for detailed results.

The primary took place in the context of redistricting in Texas ahead of the 2026 elections. As of March 2026, this race was projected to be one of two incumbent-versus-incumbent U.S. House elections in 2026.

Green was elected to represent the 9th District in 2024 and ran for re-election in the 18th District after redistricting shifted the 9th District towards Republicans and moved Green's home address into the 18th District. Sylvester Turner (D) was elected to represent the 18th District in 2024. Turner died in March 2025. Menefee defeated Amanda Edwards (D) in the January 31 special runoff election for the remainder of Turner's term. The runoff took place in the 2024 version of the 18th District.

Green was first elected to the House in 2004. Green worked as an attorney in private practice and served as president of the Houston branch of the NAACP.[4] Green ran on his record: "You know that I will stand up to Donald Trump because you saw me do it...You know that I will fight for your health care because you’ve seen me do it. You know that I believe in raising the minimum wage to $25 an hour, because you’ve heard me say it."[3]

Menefee was elected to represent the 18th District in a January 31 special election and previously served as Harris County Attorney. Menefee said he was running "because working people deserve a government that has their back...Christian has spent his career fighting back against bullies, and he’s ready to do it in Washington."[5]

Also running in the primary was Gretchen Brown (D). Amanda Edwards (D) suspended her campaign on February 9, 2026, though her name still appeared on the ballot.[6]

As of March 2026, major election forecasters rated the general election Solid/Safe Democratic.

According to an Inside Elections analysis of Texas' redistricting ahead of the 2026 elections, the 2024 version of the 9th District—where Green was elected—had a partisan baseline of D+48 and the 2024 version of the 18th District had a partisan baseline of D+39. The partisan baseline of the 2026 version of the 18th District was D+61.[7]

Elections

2026

See also: Texas' 18th Congressional District election, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on May 26, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

General election for U.S. House Texas District 18

Ronald Whitfield (R) is running in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 18 on November 3, 2026.


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Democratic primary runoff

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

Democratic primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 18

Incumbent Al Green (D) and incumbent Christian Menefee (D) are running in the Democratic primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 18 on May 26, 2026.


Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 18

Incumbent Christian Menefee (D) and incumbent Al Green (D) advanced to a runoff. They defeated Amanda Edwards (D) (Withdrew, still on ballot) and Gretchen Brown (D) in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 18 on March 3, 2026.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Christian Menefee
Christian Menefee
 
46.0
 
43,597
Image of Al Green
Al Green
 
44.2
 
41,822
Image of Amanda Edwards
Amanda Edwards (Withdrew, still on ballot) Candidate Connection
 
7.7
 
7,320
Image of Gretchen Brown
Gretchen Brown  Candidate Connection
 
2.0
 
1,936

Total votes: 94,675
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 18

Ronald Whitfield (R) defeated Elizabeth Vences (R) in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 18 on March 3, 2026.

Candidate
%
Votes
Ronald Whitfield
 
55.1
 
4,449
Image of Elizabeth Vences
Elizabeth Vences  Candidate Connection
 
44.9
 
3,625

Total votes: 8,074
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

We provide results for polls from a wide variety of sources, including media outlets, social media, campaigns, and aggregation websites, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.

Election campaign finance

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Al Green Democratic Party $940,156 $620,451 $538,790 As of February 11, 2026
Christian Menefee Democratic Party $2,668,709 $2,538,382 $130,327 As of February 11, 2026
Gretchen Brown Democratic Party $11,938 $1,400 $10,538 As of February 11, 2026
Amanda Edwards Democratic Party $1,895,212 $1,893,098 $3,327 As of February 28, 2026

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.

Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[8][9][10]

If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.

By candidate By election


Endorsements

2025

See also: Texas' 18th Congressional District special election, 2025

General runoff election

Special general runoff election for U.S. House Texas District 18

Christian Menefee defeated Amanda Edwards in the special general runoff election for U.S. House Texas District 18 on January 31, 2026.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Christian Menefee
Christian Menefee (D) Candidate Connection
 
67.5
 
11,630
Image of Amanda Edwards
Amanda Edwards (D)
 
32.5
 
5,602

Total votes: 17,232
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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General election

Special general election for U.S. House Texas District 18

The following candidates ran in the special general election for U.S. House Texas District 18 on November 4, 2025.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Christian Menefee
Christian Menefee (D) Candidate Connection
 
28.9
 
22,022
Image of Amanda Edwards
Amanda Edwards (D)
 
25.6
 
19,467
Image of Jolanda Jones
Jolanda Jones (D)
 
19.1
 
14,549
Image of Carmen Montiel
Carmen Montiel (R) Candidate Connection
 
6.7
 
5,110
Image of Isaiah Martin
Isaiah Martin (D)
 
5.7
 
4,337
Ollie Knox (R)
 
4.1
 
3,131
Image of Stephen Huey
Stephen Huey (D) Candidate Connection
 
1.9
 
1,415
Ronald Whitfield (R)
 
1.5
 
1,175
Image of Carter Page
Carter Page (R)
 
1.2
 
943
Image of Theodis Daniel
Theodis Daniel (R)
 
1.2
 
937
Image of Valencia Williams
Valencia Williams (D)
 
1.2
 
915
George Foreman (Independent)
 
1.1
 
828
Feldon Bonner II (D)
 
0.7
 
555
Image of Vince Duncan
Vince Duncan (Independent)
 
0.5
 
407
Reyna Anderson (Independent)
 
0.3
 
263
Tammie Rochester (G) Candidate Connection
 
0.2
 
135

Total votes: 76,189
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2024

See also: Municipal elections in Harris County, Texas (2024)

General election

General election for Harris County Attorney

Incumbent Christian Menefee defeated Jacqueline Lucci Smith in the general election for Harris County Attorney on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Christian Menefee
Christian Menefee (D)
 
50.6
 
739,048
Jacqueline Lucci Smith (R)
 
49.4
 
722,031

Total votes: 1,461,079
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Harris County Attorney

Incumbent Christian Menefee defeated Umeka Lewis in the Democratic primary for Harris County Attorney on March 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Christian Menefee
Christian Menefee
 
70.0
 
108,207
Umeka Lewis
 
30.0
 
46,282

Total votes: 154,489
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Harris County Attorney

Jacqueline Lucci Smith advanced from the Republican primary for Harris County Attorney on March 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Jacqueline Lucci Smith
 
100.0
 
142,237

Total votes: 142,237
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Menefee in this election.

2020

See also: Municipal elections in Harris County, Texas (2020)

General election

General election for Harris County Attorney

Christian Menefee defeated John Nation in the general election for Harris County Attorney on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Christian Menefee
Christian Menefee (D) Candidate Connection
 
54.7
 
848,451
John Nation (R)
 
45.3
 
703,771

Total votes: 1,552,222
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Harris County Attorney

Christian Menefee defeated incumbent Vince Ryan and Ben Rose in the Democratic primary for Harris County Attorney on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Christian Menefee
Christian Menefee Candidate Connection
 
50.4
 
125,971
Vince Ryan
 
25.1
 
62,630
Image of Ben Rose
Ben Rose
 
24.5
 
61,103

Total votes: 249,704
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Harris County Attorney

John Nation advanced from the Republican primary for Harris County Attorney on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
John Nation
 
100.0
 
152,793

Total votes: 152,793
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

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You can ask Christian Menefee to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing team@christianmenefee.com.

Twitter
Email

Campaign website

Menefee's campaign website stated the following:

Affordability and the American Dream

There was a time in this country when working 40 hours a week meant you could buy a home, raise a family, and retire with dignity. But now, even folks working 60 hours a week are barely scraping by. Over the past few decades, the cost of just about everything has gone up: housing, healthcare, childcare, and college. At the same time, wages for everyday people have barely moved. Meanwhile, billionaires and corporate CEOs have seen their wealth explode. The ultra-wealthy are getting richer, and everyone else is being asked to settle for less.

Christian believes Congress has a responsibility to rebuild the American Dream for working families. He’ll fight to:

  • Raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour
  • Make it easier to build homes that the average person can afford
  • Provide down payment help for first-time homebuyers
  • Expand tax credits for parents and caregivers
  • Invest in career pipelines that lead to good-paying jobs without requiring a college degree
  • Wipe medical debt off credit reports
  • Eliminate student loan debt and make public and community college free for all
  • And pass Medicare for All so everyone can see a doctor when they need one

He’ll also work to fix the tax code so that billionaires and large corporations pay their fair share, and we can finally afford a country that works for everyone, not just the people at the top.


Guaranteeing Access to Healthcare Through Medicare for All

Healthcare is not a privilege – it’s a basic human right. No one should be denied care because of their income or insurance status. When Christian’s brother received life-saving cancer treatment at MD Anderson – covered by TRICARE because of their parents’ military service – Christian saw firsthand how government-sponsored healthcare can work.

In Congress, he will fight to guarantee access to care by expanding Medicare, strengthening Medicaid, and ensuring coverage includes dental, vision, and hearing. He will work to address the maternal mortality crisis impacting Black women and stop efforts by Trump and his allies to gut the programs families rely on. And he will fight for Medicare for All. Everyone deserves care when they need it – no exceptions.


Protecting and Strengthening Public Education

Every child deserves a great public education—but politicians are starving our schools of funding and turning classrooms into battlegrounds. Teachers are underpaid, buildings are crumbling, and the cost of college keeps rising, pushing too many students into lifelong debt. Christian believes our schools should be a national priority—not a political pawn.

In Congress, he’ll fight to fully fund public education, raise teacher pay, and expand Pell Grants so every student can afford college or career training. He’ll champion universal pre-K, invest in high-need schools, and oppose Trump’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education. From preschool to higher education, Christian will ensure every student has a real opportunity to succeed.


Protecting Abortion Rights & Reproductive Healthcare

Texas politicians have stripped away women’s rights, making it harder to access reproductive healthcare. The right to abortion, birth control, and fertility treatments shouldn’t depend on where you live—it should be protected under federal law. In Congress, Christian will fight to restore abortion rights, defend contraception and IVF, and block a national abortion ban. As Harris County Attorney, he took on MAGA Republicans who tried to restrict abortion access, and he’ll bring that same fight to Washington. With Trump and his allies attacking reproductive rights, Christian will stand with Texas women to protect their healthcare decisions.


Defending Our Democracy

Every American deserves a voice in our democracy, but Republican leaders are working to silence voters and rig the system for themselves. When Texas passed voter suppression laws and came after Harris County’s elections office, Christian sued Governor Greg Abbott and fought back in court.

In Congress, he’ll fight to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act to protect every voter. He’ll push for automatic and same-day registration, tougher campaign finance laws, and an end to gerrymandering that locks communities out of power. Democracy only works if it works for everyone—and Christian will fight to make sure every vote counts.


Reinvesting in Our Neighborhoods

Too many communities in TX-18 are marked by vacant lots, crumbling infrastructure, and a lack of basic necessities like grocery stores. These conditions aren’t just inconvenient—they’re the result of decades of disinvestment that have made neighborhoods less safe and healthy. In Congress, Christian will fight for federal funding to revitalize neglected neighborhoods, attract grocery stores and small businesses, generate good local jobs, encourage home building and rehabilitation, and bring essential services back into walking distance. He’ll work with local leaders to secure grants, pressure state officials to release funds, and ensure every part of the district gets the investment it deserves. Every community—no matter the zip code—should be a place where families can thrive.


Fighting for Clean Air & Water

No one should worry that the air they breathe, the water they drink, or the land around them is making them sick. But in too many Black and Brown neighborhoods, industrial plants, illegal dumpers, and landfills are allowed to pollute with impunity—often in plain sight. As Harris County Attorney, Christian filed lawsuits against polluters and the government entities that enabled them, standing up for communities long targeted by environmental injustice. In Congress, he’ll fight for tougher environmental protections, hold bad actors accountable, and push for federal funds to clean up contaminated sites. He’ll also work to stop Trump’s efforts to dismantle the EPA and defend progress made through the Inflation Reduction Act. Every community deserves a clean, healthy place to call home—no matter their zip code.


Fighting for Equality

Everyone deserves to live with dignity and be treated equally under the law—no matter who they are or who they love. As Harris County Attorney, Christian has been a visible ally to the LGBTQ+ community, publicly opposing state efforts to target families and submitting formal objections when the Trump administration tried to roll back protections. In Congress, he’ll fight to pass strong federal protections so LGBTQ+ Americans are treated fairly in jobs, housing, healthcare, education, and more. He’ll work to defend the progress made under the Biden administration and push back against attempts to take us backward. Christian believes equality is not optional—it’s a core American value, and he’ll never stop fighting to make it real.


Innovation and Emerging Technology

America has always led the world in innovation. Technologies like blockchain offer the potential to increase trust, transparency, and efficiency—from finance to supply chains. Artificial intelligence is transforming how we work, learn, and access services. But with that promise comes responsibility.

We need clear rules of the road that protect consumers, support innovation, and ensure these tools are used ethically—to strengthen our economy, not exploit it, and to protect workers, not replace them.

As Harris County Attorney, Christian went after scammers who targeted underserved communities and led efforts to modernize government services with online payments and easier access to public records. In Congress, he’ll bring that same approach—championing innovation that uplifts working families, improves everyday life, and builds a more equitable future.


Standing Up for Workers

Christian believes that every worker deserves fair pay, a safe workplace, and the freedom to organize. As Harris County Attorney, he championed policies to protect workers—requiring OSHA safety training for county contractors, supporting apprenticeship programs, and pushing for a livable wage. In Congress, he’ll fight to expand paid family leave, raise the minimum wage, and ensure workers have access to training programs that open doors to better opportunities. Christian knows that strong unions build strong communities, and he’ll always stand up for the people who power our economy.


Expanding Pathways to Good Jobs

Every young person deserves a real shot at a good-paying career—whether or not they go to college. In Houston, we have the jobs and we have the talent, but too many students are missing out on opportunities to become electricians, pipefitters, and other skilled trades. We’re nearing a dangerous shortage of workers in these fields, and it’s holding families and our economy back. Christian believes Congress needs to invest in career and technical education, apprenticeships, and industry certifications—so students can build strong futures doing work that matters. He’ll fight to connect more young people to training programs, expand dual-credit and certification access, and make sure no one is forced into debt just to make a decent living.


Ending Gun Violence and Saving Lives

Gun violence is a national emergency—tearing apart families and communities across Houston. Christian knows the pain personally and believes every person deserves to feel safe at school, church, or home. As Harris County Attorney, he stood with survivors, joined legal fights, and called out Republican leaders who blocked basic reforms. In Congress, Christian will fight to ban assault weapons, close background check loopholes, and limit high-capacity magazines. He also supports restarting the federal Office of Gun Violence Prevention and banning bump stocks.


Fixing Our Broken Immigration System

America is a nation of immigrants—but our immigration system is broken. Christian believes we must fix it with compassion and common sense. That means protecting families, ending cruel policies like family separation, and creating a path to citizenship.

In Congress, he’ll support protections for Dreamers through DACA, keep families together through fair visa and refugee policies, and ensure those fleeing violence and disasters are treated with dignity. He’ll also fight to increase funding for processing asylum applications so the system works faster and more fairly. Our immigration system should reflect our values—safe, humane, and rooted in respect for every person.


Protecting Our Veterans

As the son of two veterans, Christian Menefee has seen firsthand the sacrifice it takes to serve our country—and he believes we must honor that sacrifice when veterans return home.

In Congress, he’ll fight for reliable healthcare funding, increased mental health services, job training, housing support, and real accountability at the VA. He’ll support legislation to protect veterans from fraud, ease student loan debt for caregivers, and ensure veterans can access care whether at VA centers or private facilities. Serving our veterans is more than a promise—it’s a responsibility.


Criminal Justice Reform

The criminal justice system is failing too many families—over-incarcerating communities of color while doing little to make people safer. Too many are locked up for nonviolent offenses, which costs taxpayers billions every year. These people struggle to rebuild their lives and are denied opportunities by a broken system. Real public safety means investing in mental health care, substance abuse treatment, and protections for survivors of domestic violence—not just tougher sentences. In Congress, Christian will fight to end for-profit prisons and expand job training and reentry programs. The system should be about justice, not punishment—and Christian will fight to make it fair for everyone.

— Christian Menefee's campaign website (January 21, 2026)

Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

Campaign ads


View more ads here:


2025

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia
Released March 17, 2025

Candidate Connection

Christian Menefee completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Menefee's responses.

Expand all | Collapse all

I’m Christian Menefee, the son of two veterans, a product of the Houston community, and the first in my family to graduate from college. I grew up on free lunch, went to college with a Pell Grant, and became the youngest and first African American elected as the County Attorney for Harris County, Texas. My wife and I are now raising our two boys in the same communities in the 18th Congressional District where we grew up. I’ve spent my career fighting for people—suing Donald Trump, Texas Republican leaders, and bad actors that hurt working families. It hasn’t been just talk. I work to get results. That’s the approach I’ll bring to Congress: a fighter who delivers for our communities.
  • Protecting Our Democracy The right to vote is the foundation for every other freedom—and MAGA Republicans are trying to take it away. In Texas, I sued to stop them from canceling ballots and won. I also sued Donald Trump to stop massive federal layoffs that would have weakened Social Security and other services families rely on. In Congress, I’ll keep fighting back—defending voting rights, standing up to power, and protecting the programs that working people count on.
  • Lowering Costs and Reinvesting in Our Neighborhoods Life costs too much, and families in TX-18 feel it every day. Housing, childcare, and healthcare are out of reach for too many—and entire neighborhoods are still waiting on basics like grocery stores and decent infrastructure. In Congress, I’ll fight to lower everyday costs and bring investment to every part of our district. That means funding neighborhood clinics and early childhood education, creating workforce training programs, and helping more people get good-paying jobs—whether or not they go to college. That also means protecting Medicaid, food assistance, and other essential benefits that are critical to working families throughout our community.
  • Fighting for Reproductive Healthcare Decisions about birth control, abortion, and IVF should be made by families—not politicians. I’ve fought back in court against Texas’s extreme abortion bans and defended access to reproductive healthcare in other court cases around the country. I’ve made clear that reproductive care is healthcare—plain and simple. In Congress, I’ll keep up that fight: restoring the right to choose, protecting access to contraception and fertility treatments, and stopping national bans pushed by MAGA Republicans.
Protecting the right to vote—because without it, we lose the power to fight for everything else. Generations of Americans, especially in Black and Latino communities, fought for the right to cast a ballot. But MAGA Republicans are working to roll those rights back: weakening the Voting Rights Act, purging voters from the rolls, and silencing the voices they can’t win over.

As County Attorney for Harris County, Texas, I stood up in court to stop voter suppression and protect elections, beating back efforts to cancel ballots and dismantle local election offices. In Congress, I’ll do the same: fighting to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, and other laws to ensure our democracy works for everyone.
Elected officials should lead with integrity, discipline, and a deep commitment to public service. That means showing up, listening, and doing the hard work—not for headlines, but for real people. It also means standing up to the powerful when they threaten our communities—whether that power sits in a corporate boardroom, a governor’s mansion, or the White House.

As Harris County Attorney, I’ve done just that. I’ve taken President Trump to court when he tried to gut federal services like Social Security. I’ve challenged Texas MAGA officials when they passed laws to suppress the vote. And I’ve held scammers and corporations accountable when they preyed on vulnerable residents. In Congress, I’ll bring that same approach—principled, tough, and focused on getting results for the people I serve.
My first job was selling candy in high school. I couldn’t get hired anywhere, so my dad bought me a bulk box of M&M’s, Skittles, and Snickers, and I started selling them at school—reinvesting the profits to keep it going. It taught me how to be resourceful and make the most of limited opportunities.

Not long after, I landed a job bagging groceries and pushing carts at a local store. I often worked the late shift on weekends—4:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.—even during high school. I stayed with that job for nearly five years, moving up to cashier, then business center attendant, and eventually a college intern in their management program. After graduating college and getting into law school, I went back for one last summer—still checking and bagging groceries and saving up before leaving.

Those jobs grounded me. They taught me the value of hard work, showing up, and staying focused. But more than that, they exposed me to the everyday struggles people face—families trying to make ends meet, neighbors helping each other get by. That perspective has stuck with me and shapes how I lead today: with humility, empathy, and a relentless focus on helping working families get ahead.
Our campaign has been endorsed by more than 40 current and former elected officials from across Texas, as well as multiple labor unions, local faith leaders, Democratic precinct chairs, and respected community advocates. I’m proud to have the backing of people who know this district, believe in public service, and share our vision that TX-18 needs a fighter who gets things done, and that together we can make TX-18 one of the best places in Texas to live and raise a family.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2024

Christian Menefee did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Candidate Connection

Christian Menefee completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Menefee's responses.

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Christian is the son of two veterans, and was raised in and currently lives in Houston, TX. He attended Klein Forest and Alief Hastings High Schools. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a J.D. from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. Christian is a commercial litigator, having began his practice at Norton Rose Fulbright and later practicing at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.
Criminal justice reform, voter rights, and local control.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary


Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.


Christian Menefee campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2026* U.S. House Texas District 18On the Ballot primary runoff$2,668,709 $2,538,382
2025* U.S. House Texas District 18Won general runoff$1,539,610 $1,146,989
Grand total$4,208,319 $3,685,371
Sources: OpenSecretsFederal Election Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope. Know of one we missed? Click here to let us know.

See also


External links

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by
Sylvester Turner (D)
U.S. House Texas District 18
2026-Present
Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
Vince Ryan (D)
Harris County Attorney
2021-2025
Succeeded by
Jonathan Fombonne (D)


Senators
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
Al Green (D)
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
Chip Roy (R)
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
Republican Party (27)
Democratic Party (13)