Wild Start To An Open Houston Congressional Seat
Though Gov. Greg Abbott has yet to call an election, the race for an open congressional seat in Houston is well underway
The special election hasn’t been called but the campaign to succeed the late Congressman Sylvester Turner is already underway, and the well-oiled Houston machine is already gearing up to fight for their preferred candidate.
Turner died on March 5, only three months into his first term in the seat previously held by longtime Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who died last year. Her daughter Erica Lee Carter ran in a special election to fill her late mother’s term while Turner ran to serve a full-term.
Though Gov. Greg Abbott has yet to call an election for the seat, campaign rumors were already underway. Leading the pack is Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, who filed for the seat hours after Turner was buried on March 15. He swiftly resigned as county attorney as required by state law and announced raising $240,000 in 24 hours as well as a a long list of endorsements, including daughter and former Congresswoman Erica, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, also of Houston, and much of the legislative delegation. In short, he’s the preferred candidate among many old guard and new guard Democrats with the visibility to run for higher office in the future.
Menefee is seen as the frontrunner for the safely Democratic seat held by Jackson Lee, Barbara Jordan and Mickey Leland. But even in an area run by a well-oiled machine where challenges are met with disgust, he may face a fight.
Also running are former Congressional candidate Isaiah Martin, who jumped in shortly after Menefee and former Houston City Councilwoman Amanda Edwards, who announced her campaign earlier this week.
Martin ran for the seat in 2023 while Jackson Lee made an unsuccessful attempt to run for mayor. After her loss, Jackson Lee ultimately opted to run for reelection. On Wednesday, Grassroots Analytics, a Washington, D.C.-based firm, sued him for breach of contract, Chron reported. While the firm argues it “performed its material obligations under the Agreement,” the campaign refused to pay. Martin’s campaign replied the firm breached its contract.
Edwards has been a stalwart candidate in Houston, and in Texas. She challenged Jackson Lee in the 2024 primary, then ran in the general election, coming second to Turner. She also ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in 2020, losing to M.J. Hegar, who lost to Sen. John Cornyn. She also initially ran for Houston Mayor after Turner was term limited but backed out after Jackson Lee re-entered the race.
Also considering runs are State Rep. Jolanda Jones, former State Rep. Jarvis Johnson and Councilwoman Leticia Plummer. Former State Rep. Shawn Thierry, a Democrat who became a Republican after losing her primary, is also considering a run.
Gov. Greg Abbott has yet to call a special election.
