Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been accused by Democratic House leader Representative Hakeem Jeffries of delaying a special election in a solidly Democratic district in Houston. The delay is seen as an attempt to maintain the slim Republican majority in the House.
Mr. Jeffries claimed that Mr. Abbott was “feverishly working to deny representation” to the people of Houston and help Republicans pass a budget favored by President Trump, which includes cuts to Medicaid and other services. The special election was supposed to be held on May 3, but Mr. Abbott has not called it yet.
Democrats in New York had threatened a similar gambit for Representative Elise Stefanik’s seat before Mr. Trump left her nomination vacant, but the delay is seen as a way for Republicans to maintain their majority.
Mr. Abbott is not required by law to call a special election, but he usually does so within days or weeks after similar congressional vacancies. He has the power to schedule an emergency special election or wait until November.
The 18th Congressional District includes some of Houston’s oldest Black communities and its downtown. The delay has been criticized by Democratic candidates for the seat, who say that Governor Abbott is “suppressing” the people of Houston.
Mr. Menefee, a candidate for the seat, said that if the governor tries not to call an election at all, he would file a lawsuit against him. Another candidate, Amanda Edwards, said that failure to do so will leave nearly 800,000 community members unrepresented.
The delay has been seen as a strategic move by Republicans to maintain their majority, but it has also raised concerns about voter suppression and lack of representation for the people of Houston.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/31/us/texas-house-seat.html