US House · TX-18
FederalRonald Dwayne Whitfield (R) faces Christian Menefee (D) for TX-18's U.S. House seat on November 3, 2026.
Redistricting forced two Democratic incumbents into one seat. Christian Menefee defeated longtime representative Al Green in the May 26 Democratic runoff and faces Republican Ronald Whitfield in November. Safe Democratic in the general.
Represents central Houston in Congress, redrawn in the 2025 redistricting after Al Green's old TX-9 was eliminated.
November General Election
Nov 3, 2026Cook Political Report and Inside Elections both rate the race Solid Democratic. The 2025 redistricting consolidated two Democratic Houston bases into TX-18, so the seat was effectively decided in the Democratic runoff Christian Menefee won; he faces Republican Ronald Whitfield in the general.
The November ballot, explained
Texas race coverage by email, only when something changes before Nov 3.
Runoff result
Primary Runoff
Winner.Christian Menefee(i)
Al Green(i)March primary result
Primary Results
Winner.Ronald Dwayne WhitfieldChristian Menefee(i)Al Green(i)
Amanda Edwards
Gretchen BrownRepublican nominee
Candidate
Democratic nominee
US House · TX-18
Dem Runoff
| Candidate | Support |
|---|---|
| Christian Menefee | 50% |
| Al Green | 43% |
Campaign Finance
Dataset updated Sep 19, 2026FEC · Coverage through Jun 30, 2026
Democratic nominee, TX-18 (runoff winner).
| Candidate | Party | Total Raised | Total Spent | Cash on Hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Menefee | Democratic | $3,637,579 | $3,481,563 | $156,016 |
Endorsement Tracker
Democratic runoff endorsements
Christian Menefee(4)
Frequently Asked
Who is running for Congress in Texas' 18th District in 2026?
Ronald Dwayne Whitfield (R) faces Christian Menefee (D, incumbent) in the November 3, 2026 general election.
When is the 2026 TX-18 election?
The general election is November 3, 2026. The voter registration deadline is October 5, early voting runs October 19 to 30, and mail-ballot applications are due October 23.
Is the 2026 TX-18 race competitive?
Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rate the race Solid Democratic. The rating is the handicapper's assessment, not a TexPolls forecast.
What area does TX-18 cover?
Represents central Houston in Congress, redrawn in the 2025 redistricting after Al Green's old TX-9 was eliminated.
How were the 2026 TX-18 nominees decided?
Redistricting forced two Democratic incumbents into one seat. Christian Menefee defeated longtime representative Al Green in the May 26 Democratic runoff and faces Republican Ronald Whitfield in November. Safe Democratic in the general.
Key Dates
Other federal races
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