Polling Average
60%50%40%30%20%10%0%
48.2%
33.6%
9.7%
Democrat
Incumbent
IncumbentChristian Menefee
TX-18 Democratic nominee?
$87.8K
MAY 27, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleU.S. Representative
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyProgressive Democrat
Age38 years old (Apr 18, 1988)
LocationTexas
Show moreShow less
BackgroundAttorney
EducationUniversity of Texas at San Antonio
Notable personal detailsChristian Dashaun Menefee is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Texas’s 18th congressional district, sworn in on February 2, 2026, after winning a January 31, 2026 special-election runoff. He previously served as Harris County Attorney (2021–2026), the county’s chief civil lawyer. Menefee is a University of Texas at San Antonio graduate and earned his J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. Before elected office, he practiced law at major firms including Norton Rose Fulbright and Kirkland & Ellis.
SourcesShowHide
history.house.govfec.goven.wikipedia.orgtexenrls.orgmenefee.house.govaxios.comhoustonchronicle.comtexastribune.orgchristianmenefee.comweareprogressives.orgdailykos.comapnews.comdistrict.christianmenefee.comit.wikipedia.orgabc13.comde.wikipedia.orgutsa.edupatrioticmillionaires.orgtexasipa.orghoustonpublicmedia.orgchron.comclick2houston.comcao.harriscountytx.govtstvnews.comwashingtonpost.comcbsnews.comabcnews.go.comcdn.ballotpedia.orgcontext-cdn.washingtonpost.comclerk.house.govhouse.gov
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Supports changing the tax code so billionaires and large corporations pay more and expanding tax credits and other supports for working families; advocates major social spending priorities such as Medicare for All, student debt cancellation, and expanded family tax credits. These positions emphasize higher taxes on the wealthy/corporations to fund expanded government programs.
Healthcare
Supports Medicare for All and expanded government-run coverage; advocates expanding Medicare, strengthening Medicaid, and ensuring coverage includes dental, vision, and hearing. Prioritizes expanding access to care, addressing maternal mortality for Black women, and protecting federal health funding and ACA subsidies.
Show moreShow less
Immigration & Border
The candidate supports protections for immigrants and refugees, defends county-funded legal services for immigrants, and opposes harsh state-level enforcement measures that expand arrests or limit asylum access. He has taken legal and public actions to preserve refugee health funding and immigrant legal aid and has supported expanded identification and services for undocumented residents. His campaign lists immigration reform and fixing the immigration system among his priorities.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Supports restoring and codifying abortion rights at the federal level, defending access to contraception and IVF, opposing national abortion bans, and has taken legal actions to protect access to abortion medications and reproductive healthcare for Medicaid patients. Has filed or joined legal briefs defending FDA-authorized mifepristone and urging protections for reproductive care.
Climate & Energy
Supports stronger environmental protections and enforcement, prioritizes environmental justice for overburdened communities, and defends federal climate and clean‑energy measures such as the Inflation Reduction Act while opposing rollbacks of EPA authority. Plans to pursue federal funding to clean up contaminated sites and to hold polluters and enabling agencies accountable. Has joined legal and advisory actions to back EPA rules and tighter air‑quality standards for Texas communities.
Public Safety & Guns
The candidate supports banning assault weapons, closing background-check loopholes, limiting high-capacity magazines, restarting a federal Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and banning bump stocks. He has called for meaningful nationwide gun reform to reduce access to firearms and decrease gun violence.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedMay 19, 2026
Christian Menefee has advanced to a Democratic runoff in Texas’s 18th Congressional District after no candidate won a majority in the primary. He will face Rep. Al Green in the May 26 runoff. The race was triggered by redistricting, which put the two Democratic incumbents in the same contest.
history.house.gov+30
Articles
UTUSA TODAY3 months ago
Menefee and Green head to May runoff in Texas 18th primary
Neutral
AAL.com3 months ago
Texas Democrat thrown out of Trump’s State of the Union fighting for his political life
Positive
CNCable News Network3 months ago
Reps. Al Green and Christian Menefee to advance to runoff for Texas 18th, CNN projects
Neutral
NNewsBreak3 months ago
Democratic Reps. Green, Menefee advance to runoff in redrawn Texas district
Neutral
Polls
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Total raisedCash on hand
$3.5M
$2.6M
$1.7M
$866.0K
$0
2026
2026
LatestYear
Total raised
Cash on hand
Total spent
Burn rate
Cycle 2026
$3.5M
$318.0K
$3.1M
$185.0K
Cycle 2026
$3.5M
$318.0K
$3.1M
$185.0K
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements