Rep. Al Green (D-TX) is at risk of losing his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives after failing to secure a majority of the vote in the primary race for Texas’s 18th Congressional District.
Green will now face fellow Democrat Rep. Christian Menefee (D-TX) in a runoff election.
Under Texas law, if no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, the top two candidates advance to a runoff.
According to results reported Wednesday by The Associated Press, Menefee received 46% of the vote, while Green secured 44.2%, forcing the race into a second round.
The runoff election is scheduled for May 26, 2026.
Redistricting Sets Up Democrat Showdown
Green, an 11-term congressman, has served in the House since 2005, previously representing Texas’s 9th Congressional District.
Following Republican-backed redistricting changes in Texas, Green was pushed out of his district.
He responded by announcing he would seek reelection in the 18th Congressional District.
The move put him in direct competition with Menefee.
However, in the likely event that he loses to Menefee, Green will be ousted from Congress when his term ends.
Menefee was elected to Congress earlier this year in a January special election after the death of Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-TX).
Turner died in office in March 2025 at age 70, leaving the seat vacant.
Green is known for Repeated Impeachment Attempts
While not being recognized for any legislative achievements, Green has gained national attention during President Donald Trump’s political career by repeatedly pushing impeachment efforts against the president.
In November, Green launched his fifth attempt to impeach Trump, framing the effort as a test for fellow Democrats.
“We have to participate,” Green said at the time.
“This is a participatory democracy.
“The impeachment requires the hands and the guidance of all of us.”
In one attempt, Green was widely mocked for claiming he would impeach Trump for “dastardly deeds.”
Green has also made headlines for confrontational moments during President Trump’s joint addresses to Congress.
During the 2026 State of the Union, Green brought a sign reading “black people aren’t apes” into the chamber and was removed from the House floor.
Trump has responded to Green’s antics by calling him an “embarrassment” and arguing that the congressman has a “low IQ.”
The incident followed a similar episode in 2025, when Green refused to sit down during the speech and waved his cane at President Trump before security escorted him out.
Menefee Positions Himself as New Generation Candidate
Menefee entered the race before Texas finalized its redistricting plans.
The former commercial litigation attorney and member of a military family had previously been discussed as a potential statewide candidate.
His decision to run for Congress instead reflected broader challenges facing Democrats in Texas politics.
In a post on his campaign website last March, Menefee said:
“A former commercial litigation lawyer from a military family, Mr. Menefee had been mentioned as a potential statewide candidate.
“His decision to run for Congress instead underscored what many Democrats have acknowledged: that the prospects for breaking the Republican hold on state politics in Texas appeared dim for Democrats in the short term.”
Runoff Set for May
With neither Democrat surpassing the majority threshold, the race will now head to a May 26 runoff between Green and Menefee.
The winner will become the Democrat nominee for Texas’s 18th Congressional District as the state prepares for the upcoming general election cycle.
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