From community reports
Houston, TX — Christian D. Menefee, Harris County Attorney and candidate for Texas’s 18th Congressional District, responded today to Governor Greg Abbott’s announcement that the special election for TX-18 will be held on November 4, 2025—nearly 250 days after the seat became vacant.
Menefee, who has advocated for a June election and repeatedly criticized Governor Abbott for his handling of this vacancy, gave the following statement:
“It is unconscionable to leave nearly 800,000 people in this district without representation in Congress for most of the year,” Menefee said. “We’ll go through hurricane season, budget battles, and attacks on Social Security and Medicaid with no one at the table fighting for us. Governor Abbott knows how to move quickly—he’s done it for other districts. He just chose not to for us.”
In April 2022, after Congressman Filemon Vela resigned from his South Texas seat, Governor Abbott called an emergency special election to take place that June—citing the need for full representation ahead of hurricane season. His official proclamation at the time stated: “people residing in potential disaster zones need to have full and effective representation in Congress as soon as possible.”
“Our district is in a disaster zone too. Hurricanes don’t skip over us. But the Governor did,” Menefee added. “This isn’t just politics—it’s people’s lives. Every day we go unrepresented is a day where our seniors, our veterans, and our working families are left without a voice in the room.
“This district has always stood tall through tough times. And we will again. But let’s be clear—this delay is a slap in the face to every person who’s ever relied on their member of Congress to fight for them. We deserve better. And we won’t forget.”
“I look forward to continuing to fight these kinds of MAGA Republican tactics on the campaign trail—and in Congress. Our district deserves a fighter who won’t back down.”
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