Rep. Christian Menefee defeated longtime Democratic Rep. Al Green in Tuesday’s Democratic primary runoff for Texas’ 18th Congressional District, ending Green’s more than 20-year congressional career after GOP-backed redistricting placed the two incumbents in the same district.

The Associated Press called the race Tuesday night as the 38-year-old swiftly unseated Rep. Al Green, 78, one of Texas’ most prominent Black political figures and an unwavering critic of President Donald Trump.

The upset sent shockwaves across social media, as Green’s decades-long congressional career comes to a close just months after Menefee entered Congress in a January special election.

Menefee’s political rise

Menefee began his congressional career earlier this year after winning a January special election to complete the late Rep. Sylvester Turner’s term in Texas’ 18th Congressional District. Before joining Congress, the millennial lawmaker served as Harris County attorney from 2021 to 2025, according to The Texas Tribune.

The then-37-year-old quickly became a prominent figure in Houston Democratic politics, landing endorsements from high-profile Democrats including former Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Beto O’Rourke, PBS reported.

Other notable supporters of the newly elected congressman include Erica Lee Carter, the daughter of late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. In a celebratory post following Menefee’s victory, Lee Carter noted she was proud to serve as campaign chair.

The redistricting effect

The Lone Star State’s new congressional map drew legal and political scrutiny after voting rights advocates argued the redistricting changes diluted Black voting power in Houston-area districts, eliminating Green’s base and making way for the rare incumbent-on-incumbent primary battle.

Before the redraw, Green represented Texas’s 9th Congressional District. But Republicans in the Texas Legislature drastically reworked the district, setting up a more GOP-leaning seat that included parts of eastern Harris County and Liberty County — which were previously heavily Democratic, The Texas Tribune reported.

According to SCOTUSblog, the Supreme Court allowed Texas to move forward with the map despite legal challenges alleging racial discrimination in the redistricting process.

The Root emphasized that the redraw effectively forced Green and Menefee into direct competition in a district long viewed as a center of Black political power in Texas.

Green, who was first elected in 2004, gained national visibility through his outspoken criticism of Trump — including lone protests during past MAGA State of the Union addresses, repeatedly introducing articles of impeachment during Trump’s first term and delivering impassioned speeches on the House floor as recent as last week.

Despite the contentious race, Menefee praised Green’s legacy in a statement released Tuesday night.

“Congressman Al Green is an icon,” Menefee said. “For decades, Congressman Green has done what so few in public life are willing to do: he has spoken truth to power, directly to their faces, without flinching.”