As voters in Texas’ 18th Congressional District, a political powerhouse in Houston’s Black community, prepare for the upcoming runoff election, a debate on how much seniority in Congress matters has taken center stage.
The seat has risen to prominence in national politics, with voters of the district seeing its third election in four months, following a cascade of political developments after the deaths of longtime Houston leaders U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and former Houston Mayor and Congressman Sylvester Turner, and redistricting efforts that changed the demographics of the district.
Turner’s death prompted a special election, which Gov. Greg Abbott scheduled in November 2025, resulting in a runoff between the new CD-18 Congressman Christian Menefee and former City Council Member Amanda Edwards. Menefee won the runoff election in January.
Candidates were also competing in the March party primaries for the next full congressional term. That primary contest, held this month, has now produced another runoff, this time between Menefee, who is now serving the district, and longtime U.S. Rep. Al Green, one of the most senior members of Texas’ congressional delegation, having served CD-9 since 2005.
Election results breakdown
Democratic:
- Christian Menefee: 46.05%
- Al Green: 44.17%
- Amanda Edwards: 7.73%
- Gretchen Brown: 2.05%
Republican
- Ronald Whitfield: 55.1%
- Elizabeth Vences: 44.9%
The unusual sequence means voters in the heavily Democratic district will have gone to the polls three separate times within four months to decide who will represent them in Congress and whether seniority will factor into their decision.
Political experts say seniority can carry real influence in Washington, but voters often weigh it against other factors such as new energy and the ability to build coalitions.
What seniority means in Congress
In Congress, seniority generally refers to how long a member has served in office.
Lawmakers with more years of service often gain advantages in committee assignments and influence within their party. Those institutional advantages are why seniority is often framed as an asset when voters evaluate candidates.
Political scientists say those advantages can matter when voters consider whether experience translates into effectiveness.
“It [seniority] has to translate into something successful in terms of policy for the district,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Houston. “I’m not sure that it has. I don’t know that voters would be able to tie some specific outcome to Al Green’s seniority.”
Rottinghaus added that the balance between experience and new leadership often shapes voter decisions in competitive races.
“Voters are definitely aware of the need for seniority, but it’s not the only force that convinces them to support a candidate,” he said.
Name recognition and long-standing ties
Mark Jones, a professor in the Department of Political Science at Rice University, said one of the biggest advantages of seniority is familiarity.
“Al Green’s been a fixture in the political community for more than 20 years, so they knew him by name,” Jones said. “Green hasn’t had to actually campaign for over 20 years since he defeated Chris Bell [2004]. He was able to carry out a very robust campaign during the month of February, but he still ended up a little short behind Christian Menefee.”
Jones noted that turnout in the 18th District primary exceeded expectations but is likely to drop significantly in the runoff. Campaigns will likely focus on turning out their existing supporters rather than persuading new voters.
For some, seniority matters
Across the district, voters expressed mixed views about whether seniority should be the deciding factor.
Some residents said experience in Congress matters because it allows lawmakers to navigate complex political systems and advocate effectively for their communities.
State Rep. Jolanda Jones, who endorsed Green, said experience often determines how effectively lawmakers can operate once elected.
“When you have seniority, you get good committee assignments, get to be a ranking member,” Jones explained. “When you’re a freshman…You’re not gonna have any power. We need someone in Trump’s last two years in office to be able to distract him, discombobulate him, and destroy his agenda. Only experience can do that.”
A longtime voter in the district, Mary Owens, 73, said experience can make a significant difference when confronting political challenges.
“Well, if you don’t know what you’re up against, if you’ve not been on the platform, if you’ve not been in the trenches, it makes a big difference,” Owens said. “Because that means you can’t go in and fight a fight when you don’t know where the fight started…I agree with getting somebody to follow up behind him [Green], train somebody to do the work. But right now, you need somebody to go in and make action speak for itself.”
Others emphasized that seasoned lawmakers bring relationships and credibility that newer candidates take time to develop.
“Someone new coming in, they gotta establish themselves,” said James Keys, who oversees operations and compliance at the Community of Faith Church. “They gotta make relationships. He [Green] already has relationships and already knows what to do. He could stand on his own.”
For others, seniority does not matter
State rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons, who endorsed Menefee, argued that while seniority in Congress can matter for gaining influence and committee assignments, effectiveness and delivering tangible results for constituents are ultimately more important. Drawing from her own experience as a freshman legislator, Simmons said that motivated leaders can achieve meaningful results regardless of tenure.
“People care very little about the committees you’re on if they can’t see tangible benefits and change in their everyday life,” she said. “There’s aspects of seniority that are important, but I also think being able to do the job effectively does that pretty early on. Also, we have to allow people to build seniority.”
On the other hand, some voters like Rain Eatmon, founder and CEO of the Acres Homes Community Advocacy Group, say the emphasis on seniority can discourage new leadership and fresh perspectives.
“Seniority is being used as a bargaining chip for staying in power because those with seniority have a responsibility to mentor upcoming freshmen so that the vacuum of power is never threatening to leave.
– Rain Eatmon,
“Seniority is being used as a bargaining chip for staying in power because those with seniority have a responsibility to mentor upcoming freshmen so that the vacuum of power is never threatening to leave,” Eatmon said.
She also emphasized the need for veteran leaders to mentor new faces in Congress.
“We never talk about transitioning with our elected leaders,” Eatmon added. “It’s unfortunate because they are all, at one point or another, going to have to leave from whatever positions they’re in, whether that’s naturally or unwillingly. Nobody can stay in one particular position forever.”
Others say younger voters want leaders who understand the economic and social challenges they face today.
Alicia Sebastien, a precinct chair in CD-18, said name recognition still plays a role in elections, but is not the only factor voters consider.
“A lot of people are familiar with name recognition first,” she said. “While name recognition carries some significance, it’s not everything…it is not the true determination of a successful win.”
Sebastien added that many voters are focused less on seniority and more on issues affecting their daily lives, including housing costs, healthcare, education, safety, and economic pressures.
