Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards sit down with ABC13 to discuss special election runoff for 18th congressional district

This week, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott set the date for the special election runoff to fill the vacant seat for the 18th congressional district.

A race that had some 16 candidates is down to two: Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards. Both say they hope to bring stability to a district that has seen its share of challenges over the last two years.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee represented the 18th Congressional District for close to 30 years. For three decades, she was a steady, reliable force within her community.

Then, in summer 2024, she died from cancer. Her daughter, Erica Lee Carter, served out the remaining months of her term until her successor, former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, took office in January of this year.

But two months into his term, Turner died unexpectedly. The seat has remained open since.

Amanda Edwards is in a runoff to fill Turner’s remaining term.

“We’re talking about a period of eighteen months where these folks,” Edwards told ABC13. “The community members of the 18th congressional district haven’t had a voice, haven’t had a vote, haven’t had their advocate, and that is too long. This has been a long time coming for them to get their voice back, and we are more than elated to be part of that process.”

Edwards is a former Houston city council member who says her priorities are healthcare, education, and economic opportunity.

“We don’t want the people in this district just to get by every day,” she said. “Our goal is to have this community thrive each and every single day. And that means policies, and that means resources, and that also means being effective while in office.”

Christian Menefee finished first on election night. He’s the Harris County Attorney and positions himself as a foil to the Republican agenda in Texas and Washington, D.C., and as a fighter for what he calls the social safety net of healthcare and economic opportunity.

“This is a seat of fighters, of people who are ready to take on those important fights,” Menefee said. “I’ve shown from my time as county attorney that I don’t back down from any fight. And I’ll take that same spirit to Washington, D.C.”

“I’m running so that we can have a district that is a beautiful place to live and raise a family,” Menefee said. “Part of that is bringing dollars to address those issues and part of that is fighting back against (President) Donald Trump and the most extreme elements of the Republican Party.”

Menefee said the crowded primary was a good challenge. It helped him focus on the challenging runoff ahead.

“I learned a lot from being in the fray with these folks and hearing their ideas about how to make our district better, about how to strengthen our democracy,” Menefee said.

It is two candidates for one position. It’s an empty seat finally filled with less than half of the two-year term remaining. Early voting for the special runoff election is Jan. 21. Election Day is on Jan. 31.

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