Texas governor calls special election for vacant U.S. House seat sought by Black Catholics

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has set a Houston-area special election for Tuesday, Nov. 4, to fill a vacant U.S. House seat formerly held by the late Sylvester Turner before his unexpected death in March.

The long-awaited decision was announced April 7, after Democratic officials demanded for weeks that the governor act. After failing to meet a deadline to hold the election in May, Abbott released the news with a sharp criticism of local election officials.

“No county in Texas does a worse job of conducting elections than Harris County. They repeatedly fail to conduct elections consistent with state law,” said Abbott in a statement. 

“Safe and secure elections are critical to the foundation of our state. Forcing Harris County to rush this special election on weeks’ notice would harm the interests of voters. The appropriate time to hold this election is November, which will give Harris County sufficient time to prepare.”

The already hotly contested race will fill a seat long held by African Americans in a safe Democratic stronghold, Texas’ 18th congressional district—covering inner-city Houston and parts of Atascocita, Humble, and Jacinto City.

Multiple candidates declared for the special election even before it was officially called by Abbott, including two Black Catholics in former Houston city councilwoman Amanda Edwards and Democratic consultant Isaiah Martin. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee is also considered a leading figure in the race, having picked up several high-profile endorsements at the local and federal levels.

The three young candidates—each under the age of 45—are thought to represent a generational. Amid a growing crisis of perceived gerontocracy in Washington, the 18th district has seen two sitting representatives die in their 70s within the span of eight months.

Following Abbott’s announcement, Edwards called her candidacy an opportunity for “fresh energy and new leadership.”

“By filling this vacancy, the 18th Congressional District will have a voting member of Congress to represent their voice, and to be their vote, policymaker & federal funding advocate.”

Martin, a 26-year-old former staffer for the district’s late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, described his run as a principled move against the policies of President Donald Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill. He also spoke of Abbott’s delay of the special election as part of a larger GOP effort to suppress voters and maintain their thin majority in the House. 

“They’re scared. They’re losing special elections all across this country. Their policies are getting more unpopular by the day,” Martin said on social media.

“So [Abbott] is trying to prevent our district from having a voice because he knows that we don’t fool with the Trump stuff. I’m going to Congress to be a brick wall to this agenda and to give Donald Trump hell.”

Martin and Edwards, both of whom ran against Turner in the 2024 general election, are considered by many to be underdogs to Menefee in this year’s special election. 

The 36-year-old Houston native, serving as the youngest and first Black Harris County Attorney, has made waves since 2020 for his justice-centered prosecutions, including on voting rights, environmental protections, and immigration issues.

A concrete front-runner has nevertheless yet to emerge, with the race still in its early stages. Potential candidates will have until September to file for the special election, before early voting begins the following month.

By Election Day, the 18th district seat will have been vacant for eight months, leaving constituents without congressional representation. The winner of the race will be up for election to a full term in 2026.

Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.

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