Election Night 2018: Houston's Political Landscape Changes

HOUSTON, TX -- One of the wildest political races in Texas happened right here in Houston between Republican incumbent John Culberson and Democrat Lizzie Fletcher for the congressional district 7 seat. In a race that was literally a toss-up, Fletcher managed to woo the voters in west Houston and narrowly defeat the longtime Republican lawmaker taking 51 percent of the ballots with 114,838 votes and the congressional district 7 seat.

While the race was a tight one, for others Democrats it was never a question of if they would win, and that was the case for Democrats Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green who won their races handily and were declared the winners of their elections based almost entirely on the early voting totals.

Lee, the longtime Democrat in District 18, easily defeated Republican Ava Pate, Libertarian Luke Spencer, and Independent Vince Duncan taking 75 percent of the early votes, or 95,578 votes. Lee has served in the House of Representatives for District 18 since 1994.

In the congressional district 9 race, Green was declared an early winner, winning 90 percent of the early votes winning more than 63,000 votes and besting a field of three challengers.

In the congressional district 10 race, Republican Congressman Michael McCaul garnered more than 54,000 of the early votes in Harris County to win his re-election bid.

In Harris County, Ed Emmett made his last run as county judge, and it was hardly an easy one with Emmett losing his re-election bid to Democrat Lina Hidalgo.

Emmett, who earned high praise for his work to pass a $2.5 billion flood control bond in August was an early favorite to win reelection as Harris County Judge.

In the Precinct 2 Commissioners race Republican Jack Morman look to narrowly defeat former Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia, but as the night wore on, Garcia took a narrow lead 114,017 votes and 50 percent of the ballots, to Morman's 112,246 votes and 49.6 percent tally.

In Precinct 4, Republican Commissioner Jack Cagle won by 54 percent with 165,601 votes to defeat Democrat Penny Shaw.

Click the link to see how other races turned out in your area.

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