Surrounded by green balloons Tuesday evening, Al Green had hoped to set his sights on the next two years as he fought for a 12th term in Congress. Instead, he turned his gaze to just the next seven months.
"This effort has been one that was sincere, it's something that I have done as a labor of love," he said. "I have enjoyed all of my time as a member of the Congress of the United States of America. And I want to assure you that when I go back to Congress next week, I still plan to take up the cause of women in this country."
Green, who's served 11 terms in Congress representing Houston, lost his runoff election for the Democratic nomination for the 18th Congressional District. The district — along with the 9th Congressional District that Green has represented for more than 20 years — was redrawn by Texas Republicans to reduce Democratic seats in Congress.
Come November, Democratic U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee will face Republican Ronald Whitfield in the general election.
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Green had grown a level of national renown from Democrats, particularly after recent congressional speeches by President Donald Trump. Both in 2025 and 2026, Green was escorted out of the chamber for protesting the president.
"Al Green, one of the most mentally deficient Congressmen in the history of our Country, has lost, in a landslide, his seat in Congress," Trump wrote Wednesday morning on his social media platform. "But I will miss that lunatic not screaming and violently waving his cane at me during my next State of the Union Speech."
Stated Green in a news release: "Sorry to disappoint you, Mr. President, but you will hear from me again. I have more than enough time left in Congress to continue calling out your corruption."
What's next for Green?
Speaking at his election night watch party late Tuesday evening, Green said he would continue to devote his efforts to his district for the remainder of the year. He identified several liberal causes he would continue to champion; among them are women's healthcare access, the rights of Palestinians, LGBTQ+ issues and immigration policy.
"I promise you that I will be accessible," he said. "You probably see me smiling. And it's because this is not the end. This is the beginning of a new chapter. It's the beginning of a new chapter — a new chapter that will be one that I will enjoy. And I will enjoy having all of you embark on this new chapter with me. Let us move forward together."
At 78, Green is one of the oldest members of the U.S. House of Representatives. With 40 years' difference between Green and Menefee, 38, age became a defining factor in the race. It also means Green's days in politics are likely coming to a close.
Green was first elected to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2005. He had represented the 9th Congressional District since then, though that district was redrawn in Republicans' redistricting efforts last year. Green, a particular target, was effectively forced out of the 9th District as his residence and many of his longtime constituents are in the new 18th District.
That put Democrats in a unique position, pitting two incumbents against one another. Menefee, who won a special election in January to fill a vacancy in the 18th District, is one of the newest members of Congress.
"We're seeing a kind of generational change in Houston," Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston, said on Houston Matters. "The city and county has been represented largely by a kind of old guard, and now we're seeing cracks in that, where younger voters are choosing candidates who they think are kind of more willing and able to represent them going forward."
In his election night speech, Menefee called the race a political battle Democrats were forced to be in, praising Green and the work that he's done, and criticizing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for pushing for redistricting.
"[Abbott] made the 18th Congressional District and the 9th Congressional District victims," he said, "by pitting two elected officials against each other. Made us have to fight for crumbs when, right now, we know that January 20 of next year, both Congressman Green and I should still be serving in the House of Representatives."
Democrats and voters mark his legacy
By Wednesday afternoon, the runoff election for the 18th Congressional District's Democratic primary did not appear to be a close one. Menefee claimed more than two-thirds of the vote, 69% to Green's 31%.
"I think that the election of Menefee suggests that that is the way this Democratic base wants to go, rather than the same business as usual," Jeronimo Cortina, a University of Houston political science professor, said on Houston Matters.
Even Menefee's supporters at the polls on Tuesday found themselves walking a balancing act of supporting Green's legacy while also calling for new representation.
"I think Al Green has done really great things for Harris County," voter Briana Williams told Houston Public Media. "But I also do think it's time for some new blood."
Said Peyton Campbell, another Houston voter: "I do recognize all the work that Al Green has done in my community here in Houston. He has done a tremendous amount of work being a congressman. But I do think it's time for a younger voice to be brought into Congress as well."
Even Menefee himself, minutes after declaring victory, praised the work Green had done as a member of Congress.
"Congressman Al Green is an icon," Menefee said in a news release Tuesday evening. "For decades, Congressman Green has done what so few in public life are willing to do: he has spoken truth to power, directly to their faces, without flinching. He protested with his body, his voice, and his career on the line. He stood in the well of the United States House of Representatives and called President Trump out to his face, even when he stood alone. That is a legacy that will outlast any election."
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