HOUSTON (AP) \u2014 Democrats Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards advanced to a runoff Tuesday night in a special election for a U.S. House seat that has been vacant since March and will narrow the GOP\u2019s slim majority once a winner is sworn in. <\/p>\n
Menefee, who currently serves as Harris County attorney, and Edwards, a former Houston City Council member, were the top vote-getters in a crowded field of 16 candidates. Neither received more than 50% of the vote, sending the race to a runoff that is expected early next year.<\/p>\n
The winner is to serve out the remaining term of Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner, who died two months after taking office<\/a> representing the deep-blue 18th Congressional District. <\/p>\n Following Turner\u2019s death, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott defended not holding a special election until November by arguing that Houston election officials needed time to prepare. Democrats criticized the long wait<\/a> and accused Abbott of trying to give his party\u2019s House majority more cushion. <\/p>\n Menefee said his message for President Donald Trump and his allies is, \u201cWe\u2019ve got one more election left, and then you\u2019re going to have to see me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor months, as this seat sat vacant, I heard from voters who were ready for someone willing to take on Donald Trump and the far right \u2014 not just talk about change, but deliver real results,\u201d Menefee said. <\/p>\n Confusion has lingered over the election in the 18th Congressional District, where many residents will vote in a different district next year under a redrawn map<\/a> demanded by President Donald Trump in an effort to increase the number of GOP seats. <\/p>\n Republicans currently hold a seven-seat majority in the House, 219-212, with four vacancies, including the Houston seat. Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva<\/a> won a special election in September in a heavily Democratic district along the Mexico border, but she has not been sworn in yet. A narrower majority gives Republican leaders less room to maneuver.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not enough to me just for us to fight back against the attacks waged by our president,\u201d Edwards said, speaking to supporters after polls closed. \u201cWe must do that and forge a path for our future.\u201d<\/p>\n