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Democrat Christian Menefee, a former lawyer for Houston’s Harris County, has gained a particular congressional election in a left-leaning congressional district in Texas, which has been vacant for almost a yr.
The Related Press experiences that Menefee defeated former Houston Metropolis Council member Amanda Edwards, a fellow Democrat, in Saturday’s runoff election to fill the seat left vacant when Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner died final March.
Menefee’s victory means the Republicans’ razor-thin House majority — they presently management the chamber 218-213 — will shrink by one seat when Menefee is sworn in to Congress.
DEMOCRATIC TAKEOVER FEARS SOAR AS HOUSE REPUBLICANS CLING TO FRAGILE MAJORITY
Harris County Lawyer Christian Menefee was endorsed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus Political Motion Committee. (Workplace of the Harris County Lawyer official web site)
Sylvester, a former longtime state lawmaker, served two phrases as Houston mayor earlier than profitable election to Congress in 2024, to fill the seat of the late longtime Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.
Whereas Texas has redrawn its congressional maps for the 2026 midterms, as a part of the high-stakes redistricting battle between President Donald Trump and Republicans versus Democrats, the particular election used the state’s present district strains.
Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner of Texas died on March 5, 2025. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle by way of Getty Pictures)
The addition of one other lawmaker into the Home Democrats’ ranks will give Republican management within the chamber additional complications.
“They’d higher be right here,” Home Speaker Mike Johnson lately stated of his members. “I advised everyone, and never in jest, I stated, no journey sports activities, no risk-taking, take your nutritional vitamins. Keep wholesome and be right here.”
DEMOCRATIC TAKEOVER FEARS SOAR AS HOUSE REPUBLICANS CLING TO FRAGILE MAJORITY
Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson, R-La., walks from the chamber to talk with reporters after the ultimate vote to convey the longest authorities shutdown in historical past to an finish, on the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Picture)
And Home Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s workplace confirmed it’s advising members that “outdoors of life-and-death circumstances,” they anticipate Republican lawmakers to be on Capitol Hill.
Three different particular congressional elections are on faucet this yr.
Eleven candidates are working within the Feb. 5 Democratic Social gathering major in New Jersey’s eleventh Congressional District.
The seat was left vacant after now New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill stepped down after profitable November’s gubernatorial election within the Backyard State.
Then-Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill stepped down from Congress in November after profitable election as New Jersey governor. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg by way of Getty Pictures)
The winner of the Democratic major will face off with Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway, the one Republican to file for the particular election, which might be held on April 16.
The suburban district in northern New Jersey leans to the left, with Sherrill profitable re-election in 2024 by 15 factors, the identical margin she carried the district in November’s gubernatorial showdown.
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: HOUSE EXODUS THREATENS JOHNSON’S GRIP ON POWER AS OVER 40 MEMBERS HEAD FOR EXIT
However then-Vice President Kamala Harris gained the district by simply eight factors within the 2024 presidential election, giving the GOP some hopes of probably flipping the seat.
A whopping 22 candidates, together with 17 Republicans, are working in a particular election in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, within the race to succeed former GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. The MAGA firebrand and one-time high Trump Home ally 4 weeks in the past stepped down from Congress a yr earlier than her time period ended.
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned from Congress on Jan. 5, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name, Inc by way of Getty Pictures)
In accordance with Georgia state regulation, all of the candidates will run on the identical poll. If no contender tops 50% of the vote, a runoff election between the highest two finishers will happen on April 7.
The district in northwestern Georgia is solidly Republican, with Greene profitable re-election in 2024 by almost 30 factors and Trump carrying the district by 37 factors.
Main Day in California for the 2026 elections is scheduled for June 2, and this yr it should additionally embody a major for the particular election within the state’s 1st Congressional District, within the race to fill a seat left vacant following the current sudden demise of Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa. The final election might be held on Aug. 4.
The district, in northeastern California, is solidly Republican.
Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California died on Jan. 6, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name, Inc by way of Getty Pictures)
Just like Texas, California can be altering its congressional maps as a part of the redistricting wars, however the particular election might be held beneath the present district strains.
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The White Home and congressional Republicans criticized the choice by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to not maintain a particular election to fill LaMalfa’s seat till August, six months after the late congressman’s demise.
However Democrats equally complained about Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas not scheduling the particular election to fill Turner’s seat till eight months after the late lawmaker died.
Fox Information’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this story.
