Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee was endorsed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus Political Action Committee. (Office of the Harris County Attorney official website)
Sylvester, a former longtime state lawmaker, served two terms as Houston mayor before winning election to Congress in 2024, to fill the seat of the late longtime Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.
While Texas has redrawn its congressional maps for the 2026 midterms, as part of the high-stakes redistricting battle between President Donald Trump and Republicans versus Democrats, the special election used the state's current district lines.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., walks from the chamber to speak with reporters after the final vote to bring the longest government shutdown in history to an end, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)
And House Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s office confirmed it is advising members that "outside of life-and-death circumstances," they expect Republican lawmakers to be on Capitol Hill.
Three other special congressional elections are on tap this year.
Eleven candidates are running in the Feb. 5 Democratic Party primary in New Jersey's 11th Congressional District.
The seat was left vacant after now New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill stepped down after winning November's gubernatorial election in the Garden State.
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned from Congress on Jan. 5, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
According to Georgia state law, all the candidates will run on the same ballot. If no contender tops 50% of the vote, a runoff election between the top two finishers will take place on April 7.
The district in northwestern Georgia is solidly Republican, with Greene winning re-election in 2024 by nearly 30 points and Trump carrying the district by 37 points.
Primary Day in California for the 2026 elections is scheduled for June 2, and this year it will also include a primary for the special election in the state's 1st Congressional District, in the race to fill a seat left vacant following the recent unexpected death of Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa. The general election will be held on Aug. 4.
The district, in northeastern California, is solidly Republican.
Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California died on Jan. 6, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Similar to Texas, California is also altering its congressional maps as part of the redistricting wars, but the special election will be held under the current district lines.
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The White House and congressional Republicans criticized the decision by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to not hold a special election to fill LaMalfa's seat until August, six months after the late congressman's death.
But Democrats similarly complained about Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas not scheduling the special election to fill Turner's seat until eight months after the late lawmaker died.
Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this story.
Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in the swing state of New Hampshire. He covers the campaign trail from coast to coast."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-gops-already-fragile-majority-further-shrink-after-democrats-ballot-box-victory