Democrats Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards advanced to a runoff in a special election for Texas’s 18th congressional district, following a crowded race with 16 candidates.
Menefee, the first Black Harris County attorney, and Edwards, a former Houston City Council member, will compete for the seat left vacant by the late Rep. Sylvester Turner.
The election lacked a primary, allowing the top two candidates to proceed to the runoff, expected in January, which will fill a position historically held by Black representatives since 1973.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott faced pressure to schedule the election after an eight-month vacancy, with the winner serving until January 2027.
