Yesterday Vs. Tomorrow

A generational choice in Texas’s 18th Congressional District.

Do you have more than one sibling? Watching tonight’s debate between Congressman Al Green (D-TX09) and Congressman Christian Menefee (D-TX18) for the newly drawn TX18 was like watching two of your siblings fight.

You love them both, but you know only one of them is walking away with the keys.

One comes in with years of experience and a record you already understand. The other brings fresh energy and a sense that maybe it’s time to do things differently. And sitting there watching, you’re not rooting against either one, you’re just hoping that it doesn’t turn too violent.

Here was the debate if you missed it:

This fight between Green and Menefee, we’ve discussed this election before, more than once.

Both Congressmen have progressive records, and on many of the issues, they’re nearly identical. Both have gone toe-to-toe with power in various capacities, and both are certainly capable. The biggest, most obvious difference between the two is their ages.

Congressman Al Green is 78 years old. Congressman Christian Menefee is 38 years old.

Green and his supporters have been upset that this race has been framed this way. Green even held a press conference about a particular op-ed in the Houston Chronicle, calling it “Ageist,” and tearing a copy to shreds.

Let’s talk about age.

And before you get your panties all twisted up, I’m old too. I was born in the 1900s.

Did you know that 95-year-old William Shatner joined a group of biohackers aiming to increase the human lifespan to 130 years? I know a lot of you see that and think, “No thanks.” And maybe that’s because there’s so much association with our later years and health, sometimes money, sometimes loneliness.

And right now, the state of healthcare in America is garbage. But there are people out there working on solutions, and with advancements in medicine and AI, the future could look very different. Maybe.

A lot of serious longevity researchers are focused less on “living forever” and more on extending the number of years people are healthy, mobile, independent, and mentally present. The FDA now maintains a public list of AI-enabled medical devices authorized for marketing in the US, showing AI is no longer theoretical. It is already being used in regulated medical tools.

The oldest person ever to serve in Congress was Ralph Hall, who was 91 when he left office in 2015.

Then again, four Democrats have already died in office this Congressional session.

• Sylvester Turner (TX), age 70

• Raul Grijalva (AZ), age 77

• Gerry Connolly (VA), age 75

• David Scott (GA), age 80

A gerontocracy is a form of government where power is held by the oldest members of society, often significantly older than the average constituent.

Source

The median age in Texas’s 18th Congressional District is approximately 33.1 years old.

Then there’s the “TX18 Curse.” Three out of the last four sitting members of that district died in office, two of old age. Each time, that’s left TX18 without representation for long periods of time. Some residents aren’t willing to take that chance.

What does Congressman Al Green have going for him?

During the debate, Green’s strongest talking point was his seniority, citing how Maxine Waters and John Lewis rose to power.

Green is actually 48 on the list. 32, if we’re only looking at Democrats. Many of those Democrats are due to retire before the next Congressional session, and a few more of them might be dead by then. If Al Green can hold on for another five to ten years, he can be the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, or even the Judiciary Committee.

That actually really matters in the way the Congress runs things, seniority. It certainly matters how good an office you get. Seniority affects committee assignments, subcommittee influence, leadership opportunities, and the institutional trust a member has built. The House’s own precedents describe seniority as the traditional system where certain privileges and positions go to members with the longest continuous service, though it is not fully locked into House rules and can be changed by the parties.

And maybe that’s how we got ourselves a gerontocracy. Just stay in office for one more term and get a little more power. Another term, a better office. Another term, a better committee assignment.

Green does have the institutional leverage that Menefee does not. Whether you agree that’s how the system should work (I certainly do not), it doesn’t make it untrue.

But seniority is not magic. It does not automatically make you chair of Appropriations or Judiciary. The Democratic Caucus still votes. Leadership still weighs politics, effectiveness, relationships, age, messaging, and the needs of the moment.

So Green’s case is real, but it is also a bet. If voters send him back and Democrats regain power, his long tenure could become a major asset for TX18. But voters are also allowed to ask whether they want to wait five or ten more years for that possible payoff, or whether the district needs a different kind of power now.

Congressman Menefee’s sharp focus on the message.

What I found striking between the two Congressmen during the debate was Green’s constant attacks on Menefee, but Menefee stayed on message, handling each blow and reminding voters why they should choose him in the voting booth.

Then there was the crypto issue. Green has been one of the industry’s clearer Democratic opponents. As a member of the House Financial Services Committee, he has voted against every pro-crypto bill to pass the House, which made him a target. Menefee, meanwhile, has not yet had Green’s congressional voting record. He signaled support for blockchain and crypto regulation in a questionnaire, and crypto-aligned PACs responded by spending more than $1.6 million to support him in the TX18 runoff. That is outside spending, not a direct campaign contribution, and under federal law, it is supposed to be independent, not coordinated with Menefee or his campaign.

Another point Green hit Menefee with was whether he would vocalize the word “genocide” or not. He did not. But Menefee does respond by calling what’s been happening to the Palestinian people “war crimes.” Green chimed in and said, “Noticed how he didn’t say genocide?”

Like, it seemed like semantics at that point. It reminded me of when Obama was in office, and Republicans used to get mad at him for not calling ISIS “radical Islam.” 🙄

By that time, it was close to the end of the debate. For most of the time, Green seemed to take most of the hour swiping at Menefee on petty things that didn’t even have to do with his record, while Menefee spent the hour staying focused on his record and why he’s the better candidate.

So, who won?

If the debate was about who could throw the most punches, Al Green won. But if it was about who could stay focused and prove to the audience that they have the track record to do the job, then Christian Menefee won.

This leaves voters with a hard choice.

This isn’t a race between right and wrong. It’s a choice between two different kinds of power. One rooted in time, relationships, and the slow accumulation of influence. The other is rooted in urgency, clarity, and the ability to meet the moment right now.

And that’s really what this comes down to.

Do you want to invest in what Al Green might be able to deliver years from now, if everything lines up just right?

Or do you want what Christian Menefee is offering now?

Because the system we have rewards waiting for your turn and staying long enough to matter.

But the moment we’re in right now? America has fallen, and we don’t have much patience left. And for many people in TX18, it doesn’t feel like something they can afford to wait out.

And maybe that’s the real tension underneath all of this.

Time.

Who has it. Who can afford to wait. And who can’t anymore.

Early voting starts May 18.

• May 15, 2026: Last day to apply to vote by mail (Democratic primary runoff elections)

• May 18, 2026: First day of early voting (Democratic primary runoff elections)

• May 22, 2026: Last day of early voting (Democratic primary runoff elections)

• May 26, 2026: Last day to receive ballot by mail (Democratic primary runoff elections)

• May 26, 2026: Election day! (Democratic primary runoff elections)

• Who Will Be On The 2026 State Ballot?

• Who Will Be On The 2026 Federal Ballot?

• Click here to find out what Legislative districts you’re in.

LoneStarLeft is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Follow me on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.