GOP Loses Another Seat
Texas Democrat Christian Menefee was sworn into Congress on Monday after winning a special election runoff to fill the vacant House seat once held by the late Sylvester Turner.
Menefee, a former Harris County attorney, now represents Texas’ 18th Congressional District, which had gone without representation for nearly a year following Turner’s death in March at age 70. The extended vacancy left the district without a vote during several closely contested debates in Washington.
After taking the oath of office, Menefee said the absence of a representative meant the district was unable to participate in votes involving federal spending priorities, including proposals related to nutrition assistance programs and Medicaid eligibility. He argued those decisions had real consequences for local residents.
Menefee’s arrival slightly shifts the political math in the House of Representatives, where Republicans now hold a narrow 218–214 majority. With such a slim margin, GOP leadership has little room for error when advancing legislation, particularly on budget and spending matters.
The tighter numbers come at a challenging time for House Republicans, as internal disagreements persist over fiscal policy and negotiations with the White House. Speaker Mike Johnson now faces increased pressure to keep his conference unified on key votes.
Meanwhile, the federal government remains in a partial shutdown, affecting several agencies. Johnson said Monday that he remains optimistic the House will move forward with a funding package aimed at restoring normal operations, despite ongoing objections from some conservatives who want stronger limits on spending.
House leadership has indicated a vote on the funding proposal could take place as early as Tuesday, as Republicans balance internal debates with expectations from Donald Trump to maintain firm positions on fiscal discipline.
