Both Democratic 18th Congressional District candidates, Amanda Edwards and Christian Menefee, warn that confusion and limited polling locations could suppress turnout. Credit: Menfee – Harris County Attorney’s Office; Edwards – Edwards’ campaign

Early voting is underway for Texas’ 18th Congressional District seat. It runs from Jan. 21, through Tuesday, Jan. 27, while election Day voting is on Saturday, Jan. 31.

In this runoff election, voters are being asked to decide between two prominent Democrats, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee and former Houston City Councilmember Amanda Edwards.

 

The runoff comes after months of absence in representation in the historically Black, Democratic stronghold, following the deaths of Congressmembers Sheila Jackson Lee and Sylvester Turner, who was also the former mayor of Houston and a state representative.

In the Nov. 4 special election, Menefee and Edwards were the top two finishers out of 16 candidates. Since both fell short of the 50% threshold, with Menefee receiving 28.9% and Edwards 25.6%, they are now headed to a runoff.

However, the winner of this January runoff will serve only through the end of the current term.

Soon after this, they have to run in a separate March primary that will determine who appears on the ballot for a newly redrawn district.

In interviews with the Houston Defender, both Edwards and Menefee made the case for why they believe they are best prepared to serve the district.

Edwards: “This seat belongs to the people”

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Edwards described the role of a member of Congress as one rooted in representation and responsibility, rather than personal ambition.

“The person that serves in this 18th Congressional District seat is there to represent you,” Edwards said. “We often think about these seats as belonging to individuals, but they really belong to the people.”

She said her focus will be on issues she identified as central to district residents, including healthcare, economic opportunity, equitable disaster relief, and education. Edwards argued that her background positions her to be effective immediately.

“One of the things that’s important to note in Congress, you’ve got to bring home resources for your district,” Edwards said. “That’s a key component of the job and one that we certainly think about when disaster strikes. I have not only served as a public finance attorney, bringing home public dollars to public projects, but I’ve also had the opportunity to bring home billions of dollars as a city council member.”

Edwards also referenced her experience in policymaking roles, noting that legislative work requires understanding how to draft and oppose bills. 

When asked about fundraising and a campaign email sent by Menefee’s team that read, “Menefee Outraises Edwards by More Than $200,000 Ahead of Early Voting Start,” Edwards said she had not reviewed her opponent’s filings but stressed that fundraising totals do not necessarily determine election outcomes.

“We are very proud of the resources that we were able to raise for our plan,” Edwards said. “This happens often where candidates get outspent in certain markets or certain arenas. The community knows me…trusts me, and knows that this is long overdue. People put more weight on resources than they ought to. You’ve got to put more weight into getting in the real trust of the community, and I’ve earned that, and no one can take that away.”

Edwards also spoke about persistence and continuity, saying the district has experienced instability with overlapping elections and redrawn boundaries. 

“Once I get sworn in, I plan to stay there, for as long as the public will allow,” she said.

Menefee: “People want a fighter who’s going to deliver results”

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Menefee, meanwhile, cast himself as a combat-ready leader shaped by legal battles against Republican leadership at the state and national level.

“What people want is someone who’s going to stand up to Donald Trump, Republicans in Congress who have stripped us of SNAP benefits, made it more difficult to access Medicaid, cut a number of federal funds, laid off federal employees and everything they can to make America less affordable and to make it more difficult for average folks to have their fair shot at the American Dream,” Menefee said.

Menefee argued that Washington’s current power dynamics require an aggressive posture. He said he will draw from his experiences as the Harris County Attorney if elected.

“We’re going to be sending somebody up to Congress who’s going to be voting on important stuff, on disaster recovery, trying to change the minimum wage, and reining in the Trump administration,” he said. “I’ve been that person as county attorney who you can trust to fight for you to win, to deliver results for our communities. I’ll be the exact same person in Congress.”

Menefee also embraced his campaign’s fundraising edge, describing it as grassroots-driven rather than institutional. 

“We have had thousands of dollars or thousands of donors who have chipped in just a few bucks to make sure that our campaign is able to keep going,” he said.

If elected, Menefee said his immediate priority would be restoring leadership to the district’s congressional office and strengthening constituent services.

“I want people to know…you got an issue with a federal program, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, you’re a veteran who’s having issues with the VA hospital, you’re an immigrant who’s trying to navigate our immigration processes, I want you to come to the 18th Congressional District Office, and we’re going to help you,” he said.

Both worry about voter turnout

 

Menefee acknowledged frustration caused by delayed elections and redistricting but urged residents not to disengage.

“This is exactly what Donald Trump and Greg Abbott wanted when they redistricted our communities, stripped communities away from each other to put them into different districts,” he said. “They want you to disengage. They want you not to want to participate in the process so that they can keep their slim majority in Congress. You’ve got to keep going to the polls and voting.”

He framed voting as an act of resistance. “Don’t let them win,” Menefee said. “You’ve got to get out, cast your ballot, and make sure your voice is heard.”

Edwards also expressed concerns about the “overlapping” elections and the possibility of a low voter turnout.

“They’re [voters] confused by it, and they don’t even know where to start or begin because no one is expecting a runoff election in January of 2026 for an election that took place in November of 2025,” she said. “There are only 17 early voting locations. It’s a shortened period of time. It’s in a month and year, no one expects. And no one’s talking about the race, in a broader context, like they were before.”

To counter this, she suggested that voters access resources on harrisvotes.com and “make a plan to vote” in large numbers.

For voters in Texas’ 18th Congressional District, the decision comes at an unusual moment. The winner of the January runoff will inherit an office still reeling from loss and months without representation, then almost immediately be thrust back onto the campaign trail for a March primary that will determine the district’s longer-term future.

Both Edwards and Menefee argue they are ready to step into that instability and provide leadership.

But, with an overlapping election calendar and widespread confusion, the outcome may hinge on voter participation and grassroots efforts.

I cover education, housing, and politics in Houston for the Houston Defender Network as a Report for America corps member. I graduated with a master of science in journalism from the University of Southern...