Popular vote by congressional district. As this is a first-past-the-post election, seat totals are not determined by total popular vote in the state, but instead by results in each congressional district.
In 2018, for the first time in at least 25 years, the Texas Democratic Party fielded at least one candidate in each of the state's 36 congressional districts.[1] The state congressional delegation changed from a 25–11 Republican majority to a 23–13 Republican majority, the most seats that Democrats have won in the state since 2006. Democrats won almost 47% of the vote, likely due to the down-ballot effect of Representative Beto O'Rourke's Senate candidacy, in which he won 48.3% of the vote, but also because four Democrat incumbents faced no Republican opposition in their general elections.
Turnout was also more than doubled from the last midterm election.
The incumbent is Republican Louie Gohmert, who has held the seat since 2005. He was reelected with 73.9% of the vote in 2016. Roshin Rowjee, a physician, is running for the Republican nomination. Brent Beal, a college professor, is running for the Democratic nomination. Its Partisan Voter Index is R+25.
The 3rd district is located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, including the Dallas suburbs of Frisco, McKinney, and Plano. The incumbent representative was Sam Johnson, a Republican who has held the seat since 1991. Johnson was reelected with 61.2% of the vote in 2016. Johnson is not standing for reelection, and several candidates have announced their candidacies to replace him. The PVI of the third district is R+13.
The 4th district is located in Northern and Northeastern Texas, including Paris, Sherman, and Texarkana. The incumbent was Republican John Ratcliffe, who has served since 2015. He was reelected in 2016 with 88.0%, facing no Democratic opponent. The PVI of the district is R+28, making it one of the most conservative districts in the nation.
The 5th district stretches from the eastern Dallas suburbs, including Mesquite, down into East Texas including Athens and Palestine. At the 2000 census, the 5th district represented 651,620 people. The Representative from District 5 was Jeb Hensarling, who has served since 2003. He was reelected in 2016 with 80.6% of the vote, facing no Democratic opponent. The PVI of this district is R+16. Hensarling announced in October 2017 that he is going to retire from Congress, and not seek re-election to another term in 2018.[8]
The 6th district is located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, including parts of Arlington, as well as Dalworthington Gardens and Mansfield. The district also stretches southward taking in Corsicana and Ennis. Representative from District 6 was Republican Joe Barton, who has served since 1985. Barton was reelected with 58.3% of the vote in 2016. The PVI of the sixth district is R+9. In November 2017, Barton announced that he would not run for re-election in 2018.[10]
The 7th district includes parts of western Houston and Bellaire. The incumbent representative was John Culberson, who had served the district since 2001. He was reelected in 2016 with 56.2% of the vote. The PVI for the district is R+7.
The 8th district includes much of the northern suburbs of Houston, such as Conroe, Huntsville, and The Woodlands. The incumbent Representative from District 8 was Republican Kevin Brady and has been since 1997. Brady was reelected in 2016 unopposed. The PVI for this district is R+28. A Democrat and an independent are running for this seat.
The 9th district serves the southwestern portion of the Greater Houston area including parts of Missouri City and Sugar Land. The current Representative for the district, since 2005, is DemocratAl Green. Green was reelected with 80.6% of the vote in 2016. The PVI for this district is D+28.
The 10th district includes portions of northern Austin and its suburbs, such as Manor and Pflugerville. The district stretches eastward into rural areas of Central Texas and the outer suburbs of Houston, including Cypress, Katy, and Tomball. The current representative is Michael McCaul, who has served since 2005. McCaul was reelected with 57.3% of the vote in 2016. The district's PVI is R+9.
In the Democratic primary, Mike Siegel and Tawana Cadien advanced to the runoff, where Siegel ultimately prevailed. Siegel refused all corporate PAC donations.[14]
In the general election, McCaul won against Siegel by 4.3 percent of the vote, the closest contest McCaul has faced.[15] The outcome was notable in a district political experts rate as “Heavily Republican.”[16][17]
The 11th district is located in the Concho Valley including Midland, Odessa, and San Angelo. The incumbent representative was Mike Conaway, who had served since 2005. Conaway was reelected with 89.5% of the vote in 2016, without a Democratic opponent. The PVI is R+32, making this one of the most Republican districts in the country.
The 12th district is centered around Fort Worth and the surrounding suburbs including North Richland Hills, Weatherford, and White Settlement. The current Representative from District 12 is Republican Kay Granger, who has served since 1997. Granger was reelected with 69.4% of the vote in 2016. The district's PVI is R+18. One Democrat is running for the seat.
The 13th district includes most of the Texas Panhandle, parts of Texoma and northeastern parts of North Texas. It winds across the Panhandle into the South Plains, then runs east across the Red River Valley. Covering over 40,000 square miles (100,000 km2), it is the second-largest district geographically in Texas and larger in area than thirteen entire states. The principal cities in the district are Amarillo and Wichita Falls. The incumbent representative was Mac Thornberry, serving since 1995. He was reelected with 90.0% of the vote, without facing a Democratic candidate. The thirteenth's district PVI is R+33, making it the most Republican district in the country.
The 14th district covers the Gulf Coast area of Texas, including Beaumont, Galveston, and League City. Republican Randy Weber is the incumbent, serving since 2013. He was reelected with 61.9% of the vote in 2016. The district's PVI is R+12. The sole Democratic candidate to declare candidacy, Adrienne Bell, was endorsed by Brand New Congress.
The 16th district is centered around El Paso and the surrounding areas. The Representative from District 16 was Democrat Beto O'Rourke, serving since 2013. O'Rourke was reelected with 85.7% of the vote in 2016, without facing a Republican candidate. O'Rourke retired from his seat to challenge Senator Ted Cruz in the state's 2018 Senate election, in which O’Rourke was narrowly defeated by Cruz. The district's PVI is D+17.
The 17th district is located in Central Texas including the Bryan-College station metro, Waco, and stretches to parts of North Austin.[20][21] The district was represented by RepublicanBill Flores, who had served since 2011. Flores was reelected with 60.8% of the vote in 2016. The district's PVI is R+12. Three Democrats are currently running for the seat.
The 18th district is centered on inner Houston and the surrounding area. It has been the Downtown Houston district since 1973. The current Representative from District 18 is Democratic Sheila Jackson Lee, serving since 1995. Jackson Lee won re-election in 2016 with 73.5%. The district's PVI D+27.
The 19th district is located in upper rural West Texas, including Abilene, Lubbock, and Plainview. The current Representative from the 19th District is RepublicanJodey Arrington, serving since 2017. Arrington was elected 86.7% of the vote in 2016, without a Democratic opponent. The district's PVI is R+27.
The 20th district is centered on the western half of San Antonio and the surrounding inner suburbs including Balcones Heights and Helotes. The incumbent representative is a Democrat Joaquín Castro, serving since 2013. He was reelected in 2016 with 79.7% of the vote without a Republican opponent.
The 21st district starts in the San Antonio metro, including parts of north San Antonio and New Braunfels, extending into the Austin metro, taking in parts of San Marcos and south Austin. The Representative then was Republican Lamar Smith, serving since 1987, and reelected with 57.0% of the vote in 2016. The district's PVI was R+10.
In November 2017, Smith announced that he would retire at the end of his current term, and not seek re-election in 2018.[22] Run-off debates were held on April 12 after the primary, one hour each for the two Democratic candidates (audio) and the two Republican candidates (audio).
Elliott McFadden, businessman, Peace Corps member, former Executive Director of the Travis County Democratic Party, consultant, former Executive at AustinCarShare, Austin B-Cycle executive director, communications coordinator
The 22nd district is located Greater Houston taking in suburban areas of Friendswood, Pearland, and Sugar Land. The district is currently represented by Republican Pete Olson, serving since 2009. Olson was reelected with 59.5% of the vote in 2016. The district's PVI is R+10.
The 25th district stretches from the outer suburbs of Fort Worth, including Burleson and Cleburne down into rural Central Texas, and takes in the Austin exurbs of Dripping Springs, Lakeway, West Lake Hills, as well as parts of downtown Austin. The current Representative from District 25 is Republican Roger Williams, serving since 2013. Williams was reelected with 58.4% of the vote in 2016. The district has a PVI of R+11.
The 26th district is centered on the northern Dallas–Fort Worth suburbs, including Denton, Keller, and Lewisville. The current Representative is Republican Michael C. Burgess, serving since 2003. Burgess was reelected in 2016 with 66.4% of the vote. The district's PVI is R+18.
Burgess is running for reelection. He is being challenged in the Republican primary by Veronica Birkenstock. Four Democrats and a Libertarian are also running.
The 27th district is located in the Coastal Bend, anchored by Corpus Christi, and the surrounding areas including Port Aransas and Victoria. The most recent representative was Republican Blake Farenthold, who served from 2011 until April 2018. Farenthold was reelected with 61.7% of the vote in 2016, and the district's PVI is R+13. Farenthold retired from Congress and did not run for re-election in 2018.[27][28] Farenthold resigned on April 6, 2018.[29]Michael Cloud, the Republican nominee for the general election, won a June 30 special election to fill the remainder of the term.[30]
The 28th district starts in parts of the Rio Grande Valley, including Laredo, Mission and Rio Grande City and stretches north into the San Antonio suburbs including Converse and Live Oak. The current Representative from District 28 is Democrat Henry Cuellar, who has served since 2005. Cuellar was reelected in 2016 with 66.2% of the vote. The district's PVI is D+9.
The 29th district is anchored by parts of Houston and the surrounding suburbs including Pasadena and South Houston. The current Representative from District 29 was DemocratGene Green, who had served since 1993. Green was reelected with 72.5% of the vote in 2016. The district's PVI is D+19.
In November 2017, Green announced that would not run for re-election in 2018.[32] After Green's announcement, Democrats Sylvia Garcia, member of the Texas Senate for the 6th district, Armando Walle, member of the Texas House of Representatives for the 140th district, teacher Hector Morales and Republicans Adrian Garcia, the former Sheriff of Harris County, and businessman Robert Schafranek all announced their candidacy for the seat.[33]
The 30th district is centered around Dallas and its surrounding suburbs, including Cedar Hill and Lancaster. The current Representative from District 30 is DemocratEddie Bernice Johnson, who has represented the district since its creation in 1993. She was reelected in 2016 with 77.9% of the vote. The district's PVI is D+29. Johnson ran for reelection.
The 31st district is located in north Austin and the surrounding suburbs including Georgetown and Round Rock. The district also stretches north into Killeen and Temple. Republican John Carter has served since 2003, this district's creation. He was reelected with 58.4% of the vote in 2016. The district's PVI is R+10. Carter is running for reelection. He is being challenged in the Republican primary by Mike Sweeney. Three Democrats ran.
The 32nd district is centered around the northeastern inner Dallas suburbs, including Garland, Richardson, and the Park Cities. It is represented by Republican Pete Sessions, serving since 1997. He was reelected with 71.1% of the vote in 2016 without a Democratic opponent. The district's PVI is R+5, due to 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's performance in the district. In 2016, Sessions ran for reelection. Six Democrats also ran, including civil rights attorney and former NFL player Colin Allred, longtime Democratic operative Ed Meier, and former U.S. Department of Agriculture official Lilian Salerno. Allred won the Democratic nomination and the general election.
The 33rd district is located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, taking in parts of Arlington, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Irving, as well as the surrounding areas, including Forest Hill and Grand Prairie. It is currently represented by Democrat Marc Veasey, and has been since the district's creation in 2013. Veasey was reelected with 73.7% of the vote in 2016. The district's PVI is D+23.
The 34th district is centered around the Rio Grande Valley, including Brownsville, Harlingen, and Weslaco. It is currently represented by Democrat Filemon Vela Jr. and has been since the district's creation in 2013. Vela was reelected with 62.7% of the vote in 2016. The district's PVI is D+10.
In March 2017, a panel of federal judges ruled that the 35th district was illegally drawn with discriminatory intent.[38] In August, 2017 there was another ruling that the district is unconstitutional.[39]
The district is currently represented by Democrat Lloyd Doggett, and has been since its creation in 2013. Doggett previously represented Texas's 25th congressional district before redistricting. Doggett won reelection in 2016 with 63.1% of the vote. The district's PVI is D+15 Doggett is running for reelection.
The 36th district takes in the Bay Area outer suburbs of Houston, including Baytown, Deer Park, and La Porte. The district also includes rural Southeastern Texas, such as Lumberton and Orange. It is currently represented by Republican Brian Babin, who has served since 2015. Babin was reelected in 2016 with 88.6% of the vote, without a Democratic opponent. Two Democrats have announced their candidacy, scientist/environmental consultant Jon Powell and radio and television personality Dayna Steele.