Tammie Rochester

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Tammie Rochester

Green Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 4, 2025

Education

High school

Forest Brook High School

Graduate

Prairie View A&M University, 2005

Personal

Profession

Clinical social worker

Tammie Rochester (Green Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 18th Congressional District. Rochester lost in the special general election on November 4, 2025.

Rochester completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Tammie Rochester earned a high school diploma from Forest Brook High School and a graduate degree from Prairie View A&M University in 2005. Rochester's career experience includes working as a clinical social worker.

Elections

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
✔		Christian Menefee (D)	68.9	18,646
		Amanda Edwards (D)	31.1	8,434

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2 Source 3	Total votes: 27,080
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete 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
✔		Christian Menefee (D)	28.9	22,022
✔		Amanda Edwards (D)	25.6	19,467
		Jolanda Jones (D)	19.1	14,549
		Carmen Montiel (R)	6.7	5,110
		Isaiah Martin (D)	5.7	4,337
	Submit photo	Ollie Knox (R)	4.1	3,131
		Stephen Huey (D)	1.9	1,415
	Submit photo	Ronald Whitfield (R)	1.5	1,175
		Carter Page (R)	1.2	943
		Theodis Daniel (R)	1.2	937
		Valencia Williams (D)	1.2	915
	Submit photo	George Foreman (Independent)	1.1	828
	Submit photo	Feldon Bonner II (D)	0.7	555
		Vince Duncan (Independent)	0.5	407
	Submit photo	Reyna Anderson (Independent)	0.3	263
	Submit photo	Tammie Rochester (G)	0.2	135

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 76,189
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Lizette Prestwich (D)
• Jarvis Johnson (D)
• Derrell Turner (Independent)
• Khris Beal (Independent)
• James Joseph (D)
• Chance Davis (Independent)
• Kivan Polimis (D)
• Zoe Cadore (D)
• Corisha Rogers (D)
• Robert Slater (D)
• Selena Samuel (D)
• Ebony Eatmon (D)
• T.J. Baker (D)
• Peter Filler (D)
• Tejas Tuppera (Independent)
• Laverne Crump (D)
• Barry Dewayne Marchant (D)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Rochester in this election.

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

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

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a licensed social worker. I have worked in social work in the state of Texas for over 20 years. I have my Master’s degree and I have worked in various state departments from Department of Human Services, Protective Services, and Aging and Disability Services. I have years of experience in director community service and social policies.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• We the people want a better quality of life. The infrastructures in Texas puts many at risk for poor health.
• We need a system that works for all people. Economic disparities continue to rise and exist in many neighborhoods in the 18th district.
• Women should have more choices and better preventive care that is affordable.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Anti Trust and monopolies

Mental Health
Healthcare
Infrastructure
Education

Housing

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to Dr Maya Angelou. She exhibits a good example of resilience and thinking inside, outside, and beyond the box. She was a great humanitarian and activist. She showed compassion for all people and believed in the rights of all people. She was a person of peace past and present.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

We need leaders that have more compassion for real problems and real solutions. The duopoly has been a power struggle instead of the people first.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Elected officials should hold themselves and other leaders accountable to deliver on policies and goals they set for the people.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy of hope.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember when Kathy Whitmire was elected as the first women mayor of Houston in 1982. I was 14 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a clerk typist with Children Protective Services my first job. I held this position for about three years

What is your favorite book? Why?

Gather together in my name by Dr Maya Angelou is my favorite book. It’s written with truth and the strength of a women that overcame tragedies and unfairness in her life.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

The bionic women

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Trusting others that don’t follow through with things they say.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The House of Representatives brings a global view of the US needs and helps to make the country a great place to live

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

Experience is always a useful tool but it’s how we use that experience that matters the most. The people deserve representatives that make a difference with or without experience in government or politics

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Economic disparities
Climate change

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes, two years is fair for equal opportunities for solutions.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

There should be a two year term limited in the House of Representatives and some of the other governmental offices. It allows equal opportunities for solutions.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Barbara Jordan

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I visited a 16 year old pregnant mother having her second child in the 18th district. She told me how she didn’t feel safe while attending school in her neighborhood and dropped out. The home had little to no furniture and I sat on the floor with her during my visit. She went from foster care to her aunt and back hime with her mom in her current neighborhood. I lived in the same neighborhood centuries ago and saw girls at that time in the same situation. We were told that it gets better but then it didn’t. We the people are tired of being thrown under the bus.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

We must be able to work together to brainstorm and have a system that works for all people as well as our future generations.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

I will fight the empire with innovation and collaboration and hold others and myself accountable for justice and solutions for the people.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

The house should use its investigative powers to the highest standards with integrity. We trust the governmental branch to protect its people by this standard.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Green Party

Candidates hear many personal stories from voters. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching or memorable?

I hear stories of people that were the first to complete high school or the first to complete college in their families. It is touching.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?

I was the first to get a bachelors degree in my dad’s family and the first to get a master’s degree in my mom’s family.

What role should the United States government have in the development or use of artificial intelligence?

It should always be fair, honest, and used according to the laws of the givernment

What legislation would you enact related to election administration in the United States?

Rank Choice Voting Act

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

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See also

2025 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

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External links

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Footnotes

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Texas' current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

John Cornyn (R)

Ted Cruz (R)

Representatives

District 1

Nathaniel Moran (R)

District 2

Daniel Crenshaw (R)

District 3

Keith Self (R)

District 4

Pat Fallon (R)

District 5

Lance Gooden (R)

District 6

Jake Ellzey (R)

District 7

Lizzie Fletcher (D)

District 8

Morgan Luttrell (R)

District 9

Al Green (D)

District 10

Michael McCaul (R)

District 11

August Pfluger (R)

District 12

Craig Goldman (R)

District 13

Ronny Jackson (R)

District 14

Randy Weber (R)

District 15

Monica De La Cruz (R)

District 16

Veronica Escobar (D)

District 17

Pete Sessions (R)

District 18

Christian Menefee (D)

District 19

Jodey Arrington (R)

District 20

Joaquin Castro (D)

District 21

Chip Roy (R)

District 22

Troy Nehls (R)

District 23

Tony Gonzales (R)

District 24

Beth Van Duyne (R)

District 25

Roger Williams (R)

District 26

Brandon Gill (R)

District 27

Michael Cloud (R)

District 28

Henry Cuellar (D)

District 29

Sylvia Garcia (D)

District 30

Jasmine Crockett (D)

District 31

John Carter (R)

District 32

Julie Johnson (D)

District 33

Marc Veasey (D)

District 34

Vicente Gonzalez (D)

District 35

Greg Casar (D)

District 36

Brian Babin (R)

District 37

Lloyd Doggett (D)

District 38

Wesley Hunt (R)

Republican Party (27)

Democratic Party (13)