9 Republicans hope to cash in on Houston's redrawn House seat
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Six Democrats and nine Republicans are vying for a Houston congressional seat that may go to the GOP for the first time in 30 years.
Why it matters: Harris County residents on Tuesday will start casting votes to determine the candidates on the November midterm ballot for Houston's 9th Congressional District, which is currently represented by Democrat Al Green.
Catch up quick: State lawmakers redrew five congressional districts represented by Democrats to be Republican-leaning in a new map that goes into effect in 2027. That includes the 9th District.
- Because of the new map, Green decided to run in the 18th Congressional District, a Democratic stronghold, and will face off against incumbent Rep. Christian Menefee in the March primary.
Zoom in: State Rep. Briscoe Cain, former Harris County judge candidate Alexandra Mealer and meat distributer Dan Mims are running in the Republican primary, along with Jaimy Blanco, Dwayne Stovall, former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman, Michael Curran, Terry Lee Thain and Crystal De León Sarmiento.
- The six candidates on the Democratic ballot are former astronaut Terry Virts, Marty Rocha, Todd Ivey, Leticia Gutierrez, Earnest Clayton Jr. and Peter Filler.
The latest: President Trump on Monday endorsed Mealer in the Republican primary.
By the numbers: Virts has a fundraising edge over his fellow Democratic candidates, having raised and spent more than $520,000 between April and December 2025, per the latest Federal Election Commission data.
- Heading into the primary, he has just $37,000 cash on hand with $300,000 in loan debt.
- As of January, Mealer had more than $609,000 cash on hand, Cain had $271,000 (with $100,000 in debt) and Mims had $281,000 (with $300,000 in debt).
Friction point: Mealer has been critical of Cain's support of the Colony Ridge neighborhood in Liberty County and for taking campaign contributions from developers before state leaders targeted them over predatory lending practices toward immigrants.
- Cain, who defended the development in 2023, saying "having less money shouldn't be illegal," last week praised a settlement between developers and Trump's Department of Justice that halted the neighborhood's expansion.
What's next: Early voting starts Tuesday and runs through Feb. 27.
- Primary election day is March 3.
- If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, the two with the most votes will face each other in a May 26 runoff.