Texas' 18th Congressional District election, 2026

Texas redrew its congressional district boundaries in August 2025. Voters will elect representatives under the new map in 2026. Click here to read more about mid-decade redistricting ahead of the 2026 elections.

← 2024
Texas' 18th Congressional District
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: December 8, 2025
Primary: March 3, 2026 Primary runoff: May 26, 2026 General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Texas
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Democratic DDHQ and The Hill: Pending Inside Elections: Solid Democratic Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
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All U.S. House districts, including the 18th Congressional District of Texas, are holding elections in 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026. The primary is March 3, 2026, and a primary runoff is May 26, 2026. The filing deadline was December 8, 2025.

Heading into the election, the incumbent is Democrat Christian Menefee, who was elected on January 31, 2026, to replace Sylvester Turner (D).

Ballotpedia identified the March 3 Democratic primary as a battleground primary. For more on the Democratic primary, click here. For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below:

• Texas' 18th Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Republican primary)
• Texas' 18th Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Democratic primary)

Candidates and election results

General election

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

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 18

Incumbent Al Green, incumbent Christian Menefee, Gretchen Brown, and Amanda Edwards (Unofficially withdrew) are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 18 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Al Green
		Christian Menefee
		Gretchen Brown
		Amanda Edwards (Unofficially withdrew)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Sylvester Turner (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 18

Elizabeth Vences and Ronald Whitfield are running in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 18 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Elizabeth Vences
	Submit photo	Ronald Whitfield

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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

• Cyrus Sajna (R)
• Allen Berry (R)

March 3 Democratic primary

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

Ballotpedia identified the March 3 Democratic primary as a battleground primary. For more on the Democratic primary, click here. For more on the Republican primary, click here.

Incumbent Al Green (D), incumbent Christian Menefee (D), and Gretchen Brown (D) are running in the Democratic primary for Texas' 18th Congressional District on March 3, 2026. As of February 2026, Green and Menefee led in local media attention. Amanda Edwards (D) suspended her campaign on February 9, 2026, though her name will still appear on the ballot.

The primary is taking place in the context of redistricting in Texas ahead of the 2026 elections. Green was elected to represent the 9th District in 2024 and is running 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 Edwards 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. Green is running 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."

Menefee is a litigator and was elected the Harris County Attorney in 2020, when he defeated incumbent Vince Ryan (D). Menefee says he is 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."

If no candidate wins 50% or more of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a May 26 runoff. As of January 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 is D+61.

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Al Green

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: 

• U.S. House Texas District 9 (Assumed office: 2005)
• Harris County Justice of the Peace (1977–2004)

Biography:  Green obtained a law degree from Texas Southern University. Green co-founded the law firm of Green, Wilson, Dewberry, and Fitch. Before his election to Congress, Green served as president of the Houston branch of the NAACP.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Green's campaign website said his "impeccable character has gained him the respect of his colleagues, community leaders, and people of diverse backgrounds as he continues to bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice."

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Green said he had a record of standing up for his values, referencing his censure after disrupting President Trump's 2025 Joint Address to Congress. Green's campaign website said his "statement brought national attention to his fight to safeguard Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security."

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Green said his policy priorities included measures he said would protect immigrants, preserve civil rights for LGBT Americans, and reduce restrictions on abortion.

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Show sources

Sources: Al Green campaign website, "Meet Al Green," accessed January 14, 2026; Al Green campaign website, "Issues," accessed January 14, 2026; Al Green campaign website, "Meet Al Green," accessed January 14, 2026; Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "GREEN, Al," accessed January 14, 2026

Christian Menefee

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: 

• U.S. House of Representatives Texas District 18 (Assumed office: 2026)
• Harris County District Attorney (2021–2026)

Biography:  Menefee graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio and obtained his law degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Before seeking elected office, Menefee practiced law as a commercial litigator and with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Menefee's campaign website said he was running for Congress "because working people deserve a government that has their back. Trump and his allies are making life harder for everyday Americans—rolling back voting rights, attacking reproductive freedom, and rigging the economy for billionaires."

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Menefee said he had a record of delivering results, with his campaign website saying he "has been engaged in the national legal fight against Trump—challenging his administration’s efforts to cut funding for life-saving medical research and deny birthright citizenship to immigrant families."

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Menefee said he had grown up in the district and was "shaped by Houston's public schools" and by "two military parents who taught him the values of service, hard work, and standing up for what’s right."

---

Show sources

Sources: Christian Menefee campaign website, "About," accessed January 14, 2026; YouTube, "TX-18 Deserves a Fighter. Christian D. Menefee Delivers Results., posted March 17, 2025," accessed January 14, 2026; Christian Menefee campaign website, "About," accessed January 14, 2026

Gretchen Brown

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "Gretchen Brown is a native Houstonian, born and raised on Houston’s Southside. She is a proud product of the Houston Independent School District and earned a B.A. in International Studies from Mt. Vernon College in Washington, D.C., and an M.A. in International Relations from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. For nearly 30 years, Gretchen has served as a defense and national security expert, supporting federal agencies including the Department of Defense (Pentagon), the FBI, the Missile Defense Agency, and the Defense Intelligence Agency. She currently shapes federal agency reports and briefings submitted to Congress, including the House and Senate Appropriations and Armed Services Committees. Gretchen's work ensures lawmakers have the clarity and accurate information they need to make decisions on national security, military readiness, and the responsible use of federal resources."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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Cash — Economic Stability for Families and Real Support for Small Businesses Families and small businesses in TX‑18 deserve economic stability. I’m focused on bringing federal investment into the district and ensuring households and entrepreneurs receive the support they’ve long been promised. District 18 receives few federal contracts, many business owners lack training to navigate federal systems, and access to capital remains a major barrier. With nearly 30 years of federal experience, I know how to open these systems so local businesses can compete and win. I’m also focused on lowering everyday costs and expanding job pathways.

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Care — Every family in TX‑18 deserves dignity. In my federal career, I’ve helped shape the reports and briefings that guide Congress’s decisions on healthcare, veterans’ services, and the programs families rely on. That work showed me how policy takes shape and how federal dollars must be guided by clear, accurate information. I’m focused on expanding access to affordable healthcare, strengthening maternal health, improving mental health resources, and ensuring seniors and veterans receive the services they’ve earned.

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Community — Safety, Infrastructure, and Neighborhood Strength Strong communities are built on safety, stability, and respect. I’m focused on strengthening the neighborhoods that make TX‑18 home by addressing what residents talk about every day: safer streets, cleaner blocks, better infrastructure, and real federal support. Public safety must be community-centered, rooted in prevention, opportunity, and trust. That includes supporting re-entry programs, youth initiatives, and tackling long-neglected issues like trash, flooding, food deserts, and failing streets and drainage.

See more

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

• Polls
• Campaign finance
• Satellite spending
• Endorsements
• Campaign ads

Candidate profiles

There are currently no candidate profiles created for this race. Candidate profiles will appear here as they are created. Encourage the candidates in this race to complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey so that their profile will appear here.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Texas

Election information in Texas: March 3, 2026, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

• In-person: Feb. 2, 2026
• By mail: Postmarked by Feb. 2, 2026
• Online: N/A

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

No

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

• In-person: Feb. 20, 2026
• By mail: Received by Feb. 20, 2026
• Online: N/A

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

• In-person: March 3, 2026
• By mail: Postmarked by March 3, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

Feb. 17, 2026 to Feb. 27, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (CT/MT)

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

No candidate in this race has completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia is seeking 100 percent participation so voters can learn more about all the candidates on their ballots.

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Al Green	Democratic Party	$728,813	$420,335	$527,563	As of December 31, 2025
Christian Menefee	Democratic Party	$2,225,235	$1,836,496	$388,740	As of January 11, 2026
Gretchen Brown	Democratic Party	$11,938	$1,400	$10,538	As of December 31, 2025
Amanda Edwards	Democratic Party	$1,740,159	$1,460,807	$280,566	As of January 11, 2026
Elizabeth Vences	Republican Party	$0	$3,752	$-3,752	As of December 31, 2025
Ronald Whitfield	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Valencia Williams	Independent	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
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. *** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

• Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
• Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
• Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.
• Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.

Race ratings: Texas' 18th Congressional District election, 2026
Race tracker	Race ratings
	2/10/2026	2/3/2026	1/27/2026	1/20/2026
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic
Decision Desk HQ and The Hill	Pending	Pending	Pending	Pending
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Safe Democratic	Safe Democratic	Safe Democratic	Safe Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week.

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Texas in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Texas, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2026
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Texas	U.S. House	Democratic or Republican	2% of votes cast for governor in the district in the last election, or 500, whichever is less	$3,125	12/8/2025	Source
Texas	U.S. House	Unaffiliated	5% of all votes cast for governor in the district in the last election, or 500, whichever is less	N/A	12/8/2025	Source

District history

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2020.

• 2025
• 2024
• 2022
• 2020

General Runoff

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

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

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

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	There were no incumbents in this race. Source	Total votes: 17,232
= 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
✔		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

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	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.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

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

Regular election

General election

General election for U.S. House Texas District 18

Sylvester Turner (D) defeated Lana Centonze (R), Vince Duncan (Independent), and Kevin Dural (Independent) in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 18 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sylvester Turner (D)	69.4	151,834
		Lana Centonze (R)	30.5	66,810
		Vince Duncan (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	62
		Kevin Dural (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	14

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 218,720
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Sheila Jackson Lee (D)
• Ed Atkinson (Veteran's Party)

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 18

Incumbent Sheila Jackson Lee (D) defeated Amanda Edwards (D) and Robert Slater (D) (Withdrew, still on ballot) in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 18 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sheila Jackson Lee	60.0	23,629
		Amanda Edwards	37.3	14,668
		Robert Slater (Withdrew, still on ballot)	2.7	1,059

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 39,356
= 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jasmine Blue (D)
• Isaiah Martin (D)

Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 18

Lana Centonze (R) defeated Aaron Hermes (R) in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 18 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lana Centonze	53.3	6,202
		Aaron Hermes	46.7	5,438

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 11,640
= 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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Special election

General election

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

Erica Lee Carter (D) defeated Maria Dunn (R) and Kevin Dural (R) in the special general election for U.S. House Texas District 18 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Erica Lee Carter (D)	67.9	146,413
		Maria Dunn (R)	22.2	47,835
		Kevin Dural (R)	9.9	21,257

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 215,505
= 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

General election for U.S. House Texas District 18

Incumbent Sheila Jackson Lee (D) defeated Carmen Montiel (R), Vince Duncan (Independent), and Phil Kurtz (L) in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 18 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sheila Jackson Lee (D)	70.7	110,511
		Carmen Montiel (R)	26.2	40,941
		Vince Duncan (Independent)	1.8	2,766
		Phil Kurtz (L)	1.3	2,050

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 156,268
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 18

Incumbent Sheila Jackson Lee (D) advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 18 on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sheila Jackson Lee	100.0	35,194

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 35,194
= 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Cassius Marcellous Evergreen (D)
• Charles Thompson (D)

Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 18

Carmen Montiel (R) advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 18 on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Carmen Montiel	100.0	11,087

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 11,087
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Scott Huckabee (R)

Libertarian Party convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 18

Phil Kurtz (L) advanced from the Libertarian Party convention for U.S. House Texas District 18 on March 12, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Phil Kurtz	90.7	39
		Other/Write-in votes	9.3%	4

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 43
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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General election

General election for U.S. House Texas District 18

Incumbent Sheila Jackson Lee (D) defeated Wendell Champion (R), Luke Spencer (L), and Vince Duncan (Independent) in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 18 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sheila Jackson Lee (D)	73.3	180,952
		Wendell Champion (R)	23.5	58,033
		Luke Spencer (L)	1.8	4,514
		Vince Duncan (Independent)	1.4	3,396

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 246,895
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary runoff

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

Wendell Champion (R) defeated Robert Cadena (R) in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 18 on July 14, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Wendell Champion	71.8	4,000
		Robert Cadena	28.2	1,570

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,570
= 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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Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 18

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 18 on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sheila Jackson Lee	77.1	49,729
		Marc Flores	8.3	5,353
		Bimal Patel	3.8	2,456
		Jerry Ford Sr.	3.7	2,417
		Stevens Orozco	3.4	2,180
		Michael Allen	2.6	1,672
		Donovan Boson	1.1	709

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 64,516
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 18

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 18 on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Wendell Champion	35.1	3,428
✔		Robert Cadena	20.5	2,005
		T.C. Manning	18.7	1,823
		Nathan Milliron	11.0	1,076
		Ava Pate	8.1	794
	Submit photo	Nellie Heiskell	6.5	638

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 9,764
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Whitney Hatter (R)

Libertarian Party convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 18

Luke Spencer (L) advanced from the Libertarian Party convention for U.S. House Texas District 18 on March 21, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Luke Spencer

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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District analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.

• District map - A map of the district before and after redistricting ahead of the 2026 election.
• Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2026 U.S. House elections in the state.
• Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
• State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.

• District map
• Competitiveness
• Presidential elections
• State party control

Below is the district map used in the 2024 election next to the map in place for the 2026 election. Click on a map below to enlarge it.

2024

2026

See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2026

This section contains data on U.S. House primary election competitiveness in Texas.

Post-filing deadline analysis

The following analysis covers all U.S. House districts up for election in Texas in 2026. Information below was calculated on Dec. 8, 2025, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.

Two hundred fifty-two candidates — 98 Democrats and 154 Republicans — ran for Texas’ 38 U.S. House districts. That’s 6.6 candidates per district. There were 4.2 candidates per district in 2024, 5.8 in 2022, 6.4 in 2020, 5.9 in 2018, 3.5 in 2016, and 2.8 in 2014.

These were the first elections to take place since the Texas Legislature passed a new congressional map. The Texas House of Representatives passed it on Aug. 20, 2025, and the Texas Senate passed it on Aug. 23, 2025. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed the new congressional map into law on Aug. 29, 2025.

This was the highest total number of candidates who ran for the U.S. House since 2014.

Ten districts were open in 2026. There were three districts open in 2024, six in 2022, six in 2020, eight in 2018, two in 2016, and one in 2014. 

Reps. Morgan Luttrell (R-8th), Michael McCaul (R-10th), Jodey Arrington (R-19th), Troy Nehls (R-22nd), Marc Veasey (D-33rd), and Lloyd Doggett (D-37th) retired from public office. Reps. Jasmine Crockett (D-30th) and Wesley Hunt (R-38th) ran for the U.S. Senate. Rep. Chip Roy (R-21st) ran for attorney general of Texas.

Two incumbents — Reps. Christian Menefee (D) and Al Green (D) — ran against each other in the redrawn 18th district. Menefee was the incumbent in the 18th district, and Green was the incumbent in the 9th district.

Fifty-nine primaries — 32 Democratic and 28 Republican — were contested in 2026. In total, there were 39 contested primaries in 2024, 44 in 2022, 50 in 2020, 46 in 2018, 33 in 2016, and 19 in 2014.

Fifteen candidates ran for the open 9th district, 21st district, and 35th district, tying for the most candidates running for a district in 2026.

Nineteen incumbents — eight Democrats and 11 Republicans — faced primary challengers in 2026. There were 19 incumbents in a contested primary in 2024, 19 in 2022, 18 in 2020, 15 in 2018, 19 in 2016, and 12 in 2014.

Candidates filed to run in the Republican and Democratic primaries in all 38 districts, meaning no districts were guaranteed to either party.

Partisan Voter Index

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is D+21. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 21 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made Texas' 18th the 48th most Democratic district nationally.

2020 presidential election results

The table below shows what the vote in the 2024 presidential election was in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by The Downballot.

2024 presidential results in Texas' 18th Congressional District

Kamala Harris	Donald Trump
81.2%	17.1%

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in Texas, 2024

Texas presidential election results (1900-2024)

• 16 Democratic wins
• 15 Republican wins

Year	1900	1904	1908	1912	1916	1920	1924	1928	1932	1936	1940	1944	1948	1952	1956	1960	1964	1968	1972	1976	1980	1984	1988	1992	1996	2000	2004	2008	2012	2016	2020	2024
Winning Party	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	D	D	D	R	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

See also: Party control of Texas state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Texas' congressional delegation as of October 2025.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Texas
Party	U.S. Senate	U.S. House	Total
Democratic	0	12	12
Republican	2	25	27
Independent	0	0	0
Vacancies	0	1	1
Total	2	38	40

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Texas' top four state executive offices as of October 2025.

State executive officials in Texas, October 2025

Office	Officeholder
Governor	Greg Abbott
Lieutenant Governor	Dan Patrick
Secretary of State	Jane Nelson
Attorney General	Ken Paxton

State legislature

Texas State Senate

Party		As of October 2025
	Democratic Party	11
	Republican Party	18
	Other	0
	Vacancies	2
Total		31

Texas House of Representatives

Party		As of October 2025
	Democratic Party	62
	Republican Party	88
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		150

Trifecta control

Texas Party Control: 1992-2025
Three years of Democratic trifectas  •  Twenty-three years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
Governor	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Senate	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

See also

Texas	2026 primaries	2026 U.S. Congress elections
Texas congressional delegation Voting in Texas Texas elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018	Democratic primary battlegrounds Republican primary battlegrounds U.S. Senate Democratic primaries U.S. Senate Republican primaries U.S. House Democratic primaries U.S. House Republican primaries	U.S. Congress elections U.S. Senate elections U.S. House elections Special elections Ballot access

External links

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

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)

2025-2026 Elections to the United States Congress

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Ballot access for major and minor party candidates • List of candidates running for election • List of congressional challengers • Retiring senators • Retiring representatives

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Super PACs/Organizations

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