Texas's 18th congressional district
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative	Vacant
Distribution	99.94% urban[1] 0.06% rural
Population (2024)	825,192[2]
Median household income	$66,803[3]
Ethnicity	43.4%Hispanic 32.2%Black 16.7%White 4.9%Asian 2.2%Two or more races 0.7% other
Cook PVI	D+21[4]

Texas's 18th congressional district of theUnited States House of Representatives includes much of inner cityHouston and the surrounding area. It has been the Downtown Houston district since 1972. The district seat is currently vacant, but it was previously represented by DemocratSylvester Turner before his death.

The district was first represented byBarbara Jordan, the first black woman elected to Congress from the South, who was praised by many for her powerful presence and oratorical skills.^[5] The district was represented bySheila Jackson Lee from 1995 until her death in 2024, when the seat became vacant. Her daughter,Erica Lee Carter succeeded her for the unexpired term. Former Houston mayorSylvester Turner would then succeed Carter before his death on March 5, 2025. Aspecial election is scheduled for November 2025.

Since the district was moved to Houston in 1972, it has voted for a Democrat in every presidential election. The district gaveGeorge McGovern 69% in 1972 andWalter Mondale 72% in 1984.

In the TV seriesThe West Wing, Texas's 18th congressional district was represented by fictional Democratic presidential candidateMatt Santos.

For the118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:^[8]

HarrisCounty(4)

Atascocita (part; also2nd),Houston (part; also2nd,7th,8th,9th,22nd,29th,36th,38th; shared withFort Bend andMontgomery counties),Humble (part; also2nd and29th),Jacinto City (part; also29th and36th)

Member	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history
District established March 4, 1919
J. Marvin Jones (Amarillo)	Democratic	March 4, 1919 – November 20, 1940	66th 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd 73rd 74th 75th 76th	Redistricted from the13th district andre-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Resigned to become judge of theU.S. Court of Claims.
Vacant		November 20, 1940 – January 3, 1941	76th
Eugene Worley (Shamrock)	Democratic	January 3, 1941 – April 3, 1950	77th 78th 79th 80th 81st	Elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Resigned to become judge of theU.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals
Vacant		April 3, 1950 – May 6, 1950	81st
Ben H. Guill (Pampa)	Republican	May 6, 1950 – January 3, 1951		Elected to finish Worley's term. Lost re-election.
Walter E. Rogers (Pampa)	Democratic	January 3, 1951 – January 3, 1967	82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th	Elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Retired.
Bob Price (Pampa)	Republican	January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1973	90th 91st 92nd	Elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Redistricted to the13th district.
Barbara Jordan (Houston)	Democratic	January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1979	93rd 94th 95th	Elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Retired.
Mickey Leland (Houston)	Democratic	January 3, 1979 – August 7, 1989	96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st	Elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Died.
Vacant		August 7, 1989 – December 9, 1989	101st
Craig Washington (Houston)	Democratic	December 9, 1989 – January 3, 1995	101st 102nd 103rd	Elected to finish Leland's term. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Lost renomination.
Sheila Jackson Lee (Houston)	Democratic	January 3, 1995 – July 19, 2024	104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th	Elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Ran for re-election, but died.
Vacant		July 19, 2024 – November 12, 2024	118th
Erica Lee Carter (Houston)	Democratic	November 12, 2024 – January 3, 2025		Elected to finish her mother's term. Did not seek election to a full term.
Sylvester Turner (Houston)	Democratic	January 3, 2025 – March 5, 2025	119th	Elected in 2024. Died.
Vacant		March 5, 2025 – present
TBD	TBD	TBD	119th	Elected to finish Turner’s term.

• List of United States congressional districts

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989).The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982).The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–presentArchived April 23, 2010, at theWayback Machine

29°49′07″N95°15′13″W / 29.81861°N 95.25361°W /29.81861; -95.25361

• Congressional districts of Texas
• Harris County, Texas

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