Texas's 18th congressional district

Texas's 18th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives includes much of inner city Houston and the surrounding area. It has been the Downtown Houston district since 1972.

Texas's 18th congressional district
Texas's 18th congressional district since January 3, 2023
Representative
Vacant
Distribution
  • 99.94% urban[1]
  • 0.06% rural
Population (2023)788,066[2]
Median household
income
$59,212[3]
Ethnicity
Cook PVID+23[4]

The district was first represented by Barbara Jordan, the first black woman elected to Congress from the South, who was praised by many for her powerful presence and oratorical skills. She was also the first lesbian to serve that district.[5][clarification needed] The district was represented by Sheila Jackson Lee from 1995 until her death in 2024, when the seat became vacant.

Since the district was moved to Houston in 1972, it has voted for a Democrat in every presidential election. The district gave George McGovern 69% in 1972 and Walter Mondale 72% in 1984.

Election results from presidential races

edit
Year Office Result
2000 President Gore 70 - 26%
2004 President Kerry 72 - 28%
2008 President Obama 77 - 22%
2012 President Obama 76 - 23%
2016 President Clinton 76 - 20%
2020 President Biden 76 - 23%

List of members representing the district

edit
Member Party Years Cong
ress
Electoral history
District established March 4, 1919
 
J. Marvin Jones
(Amarillo)
Democratic March 4, 1919 –
November 20, 1940
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd
73rd
74th
75th
76th
Redistricted from the 13th district and re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Re-elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Resigned to become judge of the U.S. Court of Claims.
Vacant November 20, 1940 –
January 3, 1941
76th
 
Eugene Worley
(Shamrock)
Democratic January 3, 1941 –
April 3, 1950
77th
78th
79th
80th
81st
Elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Resigned to become judge of the U.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals
Vacant April 3, 1950 –
May 6, 1950
81st
 
Ben H. Guill
(Pampa)
Republican May 6, 1950 –
January 3, 1951
Elected to finish Worley's term.
Lost re-election.
 
Walter E. Rogers
(Pampa)
Democratic January 3, 1951 –
January 3, 1967
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
89th
Elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Retired.
 
Bob Price
(Pampa)
Republican January 3, 1967 –
January 3, 1973
90th
91st
92nd
Elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Redistricted to the 13th district.
 
Barbara Jordan
(Houston)
Democratic January 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1979
93rd
94th
95th
Elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Retired.
 
Mickey Leland
(Houston)
Democratic January 3, 1979 –
August 7, 1989
96th
97th
98th
99th
100th
101st
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Died.
Vacant August 7, 1989 –
December 9, 1989
101st
 
Craig Washington
(Houston)
Democratic December 9, 1989 –
January 3, 1995
101st
102nd
103rd
Elected to finish Leland's term.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Lost renomination.
 
Sheila Jackson Lee
(Houston)
Democratic January 3, 1995 –
July 19, 2024
104th
105th
106th
107th
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th
114th
115th
116th
117th
118th
Elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.
Died.
Vacant July 19, 2024 –
present
118th

Recent election results

edit
2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas: District 18
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sheila Jackson Lee (incumbent) 148,617 77.32
Republican John Faulk 39,095 20.34
Libertarian Mike Taylor 4,486 2.33
Majority 109,522 56.98
Turnout 192,295 82.5
Democratic hold
2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas: District 18
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sheila Jackson Lee (incumbent) 85,108 70.15
Republican John Faulk 33,067 27.26
Libertarian Mike Taylor 3,118 2.57
Independent Charles B. Meyer (Write-in) 28 0.02
Majority 52,041 42.89
Turnout 125,968 36.73
Democratic hold
2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas: District 18
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sheila Jackson Lee (incumbent) 146,223 75.01
Republican Sean Seibert 44,015 22.58
Libertarian Christopher Barber 4,694 2.41
Majority 102,208 52.43
Turnout 194,932 58.79
Democratic hold
2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas: District 18
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sheila Jackson Lee (incumbent) 76,097 71.78
Republican Sean Seibert 26,249 24.76
Green Remington Alessi 1,302 1.23
Independent Vince Duncan 2,376 2.23
Majority 49,848 47.02
Turnout 106,010 30.60
Democratic hold
2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas: District 18
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sheila Jackson Lee (incumbent) 150,157 73.50
Republican Lori Bartley 48,306 23.64
Green Thomas Kleven 5,845 2.86
Majority 101,851 49.85
Turnout 204,308 55.96
Democratic hold
2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas: District 18[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sheila Jackson Lee (Incumbent) 138,704 75.3
Republican Ava Reynero Pate 38,368 20.8
Libertarian Luke Spencer 4,067 2.2
Independent Vince Duncan 3,193 1.7
Total votes 184,332 100.0
Democratic hold
2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas: District 18[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sheila Jackson Lee (incumbent) 180,952 73.3
Republican Wendell Champion 58,033 23.5
Libertarian Luke Spencer 4,514 1.8
Independent Vince Duncan 3,396 1.4
Total votes 246,895 100.0
Democratic hold
2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas: District 18[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sheila Jackson Lee (incumbent) 110,511 70.7
Republican Carmen Maria Montiel 40,941 26.2
Independent Vince Duncan 2,766 1.7
Libertarian Phil Kurtz 2,050 1.3
Total votes 156,268 100.0
Democratic hold
edit

In the TV series The West Wing, Texas's 18th congressional district was represented by fictional Democratic presidential candidate Matt Santos.

Historical district boundaries

edit
 
2007–2013
 
2013–2023

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (State-based)". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013.
  2. ^ "My Congressional District".
  3. ^ "My Congressional District".
  4. ^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  5. ^ "Before Things Went to Hell". This American Life. December 28, 2018.
  6. ^ "Texas Election Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  7. ^ "Texas Election Results - Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  8. ^ "Texas Election Results - Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved November 14, 2022.

29°49′07″N 95°15′13″W / 29.81861°N 95.25361°W / 29.81861; -95.25361