Mike Johnson's majority to erode as Houston elects Democrat

• That margin could become an immediate headache for Johnson as he prepares to try and pass legislation next week ending the government shutdown with only Republican votes.

Driving the news: Menefee, the Harris County attorney, defeated former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards, also a Democrat, in a decisive victory Saturday night in the heavily Democratic, Houston-based district.

• Menefee and Edwards advanced to a runoff after finishing first and second, respectively, in a free-for-all-primary in November.
• The race was to succeed former Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Texas), who died last March just months after getting elected to the seat following the death of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas).

State of play: Republicans are set to pick up a seat in March, when Georgia's heavily Republican 14th District will go to the polls to elect a replacement for former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).

• But that cushion could disappear just a month later, when New Jersey's 11th District, which is solidly Democratic, elects a successor to now-Gov. Mikie Sherrill.
• California Gov. Gavin Newsom denied Johnson any possible early relief by scheduling the special election to succeed Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) in early August, the latest possible date.