Democrat Who Held ‘Black People Aren’t Apes’ Sign During SOTU Forced Into Runoff

A longtime Democratic congressman known for his dramatic protests against President Donald Trump is now fighting to keep his seat.

Rep. Al Green (D-TX), who made headlines after waving his cane during a confrontation with Trump in Congress, has been forced into a runoff election against fellow Democrat Christian Menefee in Texas’s 18th Congressional District.

The rare incumbent-versus-incumbent matchup is shaping up as a test of generational change within the Democratic Party. Neither Green nor Menefee secured more than 50 percent of the vote in the March Democratic primary, which Texas law requires in order to win outright.

As a result, the two candidates will face off again in a May 26 runoff to determine the party’s nominee. Because the Houston-area district heavily favors Democrats, the winner of the runoff will be strongly positioned to claim the seat in the general election.

The unusual contest stems from Republican-led redistricting that placed both Democrats in the same district. That decision set up one of the most closely watched Democratic primaries in the state, pitting a veteran congressman against a younger rising figure.

Green, who is approaching his 80th birthday, has represented the Houston area in Congress for more than two decades. Over that time, he has become known for his outspoken opposition to Trump, including repeated attempts to push impeachment during Trump’s first presidency.

But his confrontations with the president have also drawn national attention.

During Trump’s 2025 joint address to Congress, Green stood up in the chamber and pointed his cane toward the dais while shouting that Trump had “no mandate to cut Medicaid.” House leadership quickly ordered him removed from the chamber, and the House later voted to formally censure him for violating decorum.

Green again made headlines earlier this year during Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address. During the speech, the Texas congressman stood in the aisle holding a sign that read “BLACK PEOPLE AREN’T APES!”

Green said the sign was meant to protest a social media video Trump had shared that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. The post was later deleted.

The protest once again resulted in Green being escorted out of the chamber, marking the second year in a row that he had been removed from a Trump address. Those moments have become a defining part of Green’s political profile as he now faces one of the toughest primary challenges of his career.

His opponent, Christian Menefee, represents a new generation of Democratic leadership. The 37-year-old lawmaker only recently entered Congress after winning a January 2026 special election to fill the seat left vacant following the death of longtime Houston-area congressman Sylvester Turner.

Christian Menefee

The generational contrast between the two candidates has turned the runoff into something larger than a typical primary.

Turnout could play a major role in deciding the race. Voters in the district have already gone to the polls several times in recent months due to the special election and redistricting changes, meaning fatigue could affect participation in the runoff.

Early primary results showed Menefee performing strongly in Harris County, while Green ran better in neighboring Fort Bend County, setting up a geographic and generational divide among voters. When Texans return to the polls in May, the runoff will determine whether the district sticks with one of its most recognizable political figures or turns the page to a new generation of Democratic leadership.