Texas's 18th congressional district

Texas's 18th congressional district
From 2023 to 2027, starting with the 2022 elections From 2027, starting with the 2026 regular elections Interactive map of district boundaries
Representative	Christian Menefee D–Houston
Distribution	99.94% urban[1] 0.06% rural
Population (2024)	825,192[2]
Median household income	$66,803[3]
Ethnicity	43.4% Hispanic 32.2% Black 16.7% White 4.9% Asian 2.2% Two or more races 0.7% other
Cook PVI	D+21[4]

Texas's 18th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Texas. It includes much of inner-city Houston and the surrounding area and has been the Downtown Houston district since 1973. The district is represented by Democrat Christian Menefee, who was sworn in on February 2, 2026, after being elected in a January 2026 special election runoff following the death of Democrat Sylvester Turner.^[5]

The district was represented during the 1970s by Barbara Jordan, the first black woman elected to Congress from the South, who was praised by many for her powerful presence and oratorical skills.^[6] The district was represented by Sheila Jackson Lee from 1995 until her death in 2024, when the seat became vacant. Her daughter, Erica Lee Carter succeeded her for the unexpired term.^[7] Former Houston mayor Sylvester Turner then succeeded Carter before his death on March 5, 2025. A special election was held on November 4, 2025, followed by a runoff on January 31, 2026, which was won by Christian Menefee.^[8]

Since the district was moved to Houston in 1972, it has voted for a Democrat in every presidential election. The district gave George McGovern 69% in 1972 and Walter Mondale 72% in 1984.

In the TV series The West Wing, Texas's 18th congressional district was represented by fictional Democratic presidential candidate Matt Santos.

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:^[11]

Harris County (4)

Atascocita (part; also 2nd), Houston (part; also 2nd, 7th, 8th, 9th, 22nd, 29th, 36th, 38th; shared with Fort Bend and Montgomery counties), Humble (part; also 2nd and 29th), Jacinto City (part; also 29th and 36th)

Representative	Party	Term	Cong ress	Electoral history	Counties represented
District established March 4, 1919
J. Marvin Jones (Amarillo)	Democratic	March 4, 1919 – November 20, 1940	66th 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd 73rd 74th 75th 76th	Redistricted from the 13th district and re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Resigned to become judge of the U.S. Court of Claims.	1919–1923 [data missing]
					1923–1931 [data missing]
					1931–1933 [data missing]
					1933–1943 [data missing]
Vacant		November 20, 1940 – January 3, 1941	76th
Eugene Worley (Shamrock)	Democratic	January 3, 1941 – April 3, 1950	77th 78th 79th 80th 81st	Elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Resigned to become judge of the U.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals
					1943–1945 [data missing]
					1945–1953 [data missing]
Vacant		April 3, 1950 – May 6, 1950	81st
Ben H. Guill (Pampa)	Republican	May 6, 1950 – January 3, 1951		Elected to finish Worley's term. Lost re-election.
Walter E. Rogers (Pampa)	Democratic	January 3, 1951 – January 3, 1967	82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th	Elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Retired.
					1953–1959 [data missing]
					1959–1963 [data missing]
					1963–1967 [data missing]
Bob Price (Pampa)	Republican	January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1973	90th 91st 92nd	Elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Redistricted to the 13th district.	1967–1973 [data missing]
Barbara Jordan (Houston)	Democratic	January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1979	93rd 94th 95th	Elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Retired.	1973–1983 [data missing]
Mickey Leland (Houston)	Democratic	January 3, 1979 – August 7, 1989	96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st	Elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Died.
					1983–1993 [data missing]
Vacant		August 7, 1989 – December 9, 1989	101st
Craig Washington (Houston)	Democratic	December 9, 1989 – January 3, 1995	101st 102nd 103rd	Elected to finish Leland's term. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Lost renomination.
					1993–1997 [data missing]
Sheila Jackson Lee (Houston)	Democratic	January 3, 1995 – July 19, 2024	104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th	Elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Ran for re-election, but died.
					2003–2005 [data missing]
					2005–2007 [data missing]
					2007–2013
					2013–2023
					2023–2027
Vacant		July 19, 2024 – November 12, 2024	118th
Erica Lee Carter (Houston)	Democratic	November 12, 2024 – January 3, 2025		Elected to finish her mother's term. Did not seek election to a full term.
Sylvester Turner (Houston)	Democratic	January 3, 2025 – March 5, 2025	119th	Elected in 2024. Died.
Vacant		March 5, 2025 – February 2, 2026
Christian Menefee (Houston)	Democratic	February 2, 2026 – Present		Elected in runoff to finish Turner’s term.

• List of United States congressional districts

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present Archived April 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine

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