Al Green Will No Longer Represent Texas’ 9th Congressional District

U.S. Rep. Al Green will no longer represent Texas’ 9th Congressional District, as a new proposed congressional map is carving up the Houston-area district.

Green announced his decision to step back from the district he has served for over two decades at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

The Houston-area Democratic congressman said he’ll announce if he’s running in November.

If Green chooses to run, he confirmed it would be for Texas’ 18th Congressional District, formerly held by late Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.

Green declined to announce a 2026 campaign for the seat, citing a desire not to confuse voters ahead of the November special election for TX-18 under its current district lines. The contest for November has amassed over 20 candidates, including Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee and former at-large Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards, among others.

During his remarks, Green actually shouted out the two late lawmakers, firing back at criticism of their deaths while in office representing the district. The congressman said those who demean Jackson Lee and Turner are hurting Black history.

“I’m going to be in a race just to defend those two people if for no other reason,” Green said.

Green noted that he and a majority of his current constituents now live in the soon-to-be redrawn version of TX-18. These voters were moved out of TX-9 to make way for more Republican voters to enter the newly drawn boundaries of what was formerly Green’s historically Democratic and Black voter district.

Failed Harris County Judge GOP candidate Alexandra del Moral Mealer and state Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) have both launched their respective campaigns for the soon-to-be newly redrawn TX-9.

Written by Faith Bugenhagen