Political ads · 2026 · TX

Texas House District 18 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them

Christian Menefee won · 86.0% to 14.0% · Called by AP on Nov 3

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Al Green (DEM, incumbent), Sylvester Turner (DEM, incumbent), Allen Berry (REP), Amanda Edwards (DEM), Christian Menefee (DEM), Gretchen Brown (DEM), Stephen Huey (DEM). 0 ads analyzed, 0 with at least one technique in the copy. Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing.

Voting in Austin? 10 local ballot measures → The ballot wording read for rhetorical techniques, and who is paying for and against each.

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From Texas's official election office. Each line links to the official page it came from.

Registration	Register by Mon, Oct 5 (30th day before Election Day, moved to the next business day. Mailed applications must be postmarked by the deadline. New registrations are on paper; online is only for updating an existing record.) (passed)Source: votetexas.gov ↗
Early voting in person	Mon, Oct 19 to Fri, Oct 30 (passed)Source: sos.state.tx.us ↗
By mail	Mail voting needs a reason the state accepts (Only these voters qualify: away from the county, sick or disabled, expecting to give birth within 3 weeks of Election Day, 65 or older, or confined in jail or involuntary civil commitment); request a ballot by Fri, Oct 23 (Must be received by this date; a postmark does not count); return it by Tue, Nov 3 (Received by 7 pm on Election Day, or postmarked by 7 pm on Election Day and received by 5 pm on Nov 4) (passed)Source: sos.state.tx.us ↗Source: votetexas.gov ↗
Election Day	Tue, Nov 3. Polls: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (passed)Source: votetexas.gov ↗
ID at the polls	One of 7 acceptable photo IDs. A voter who cannot reasonably get one may sign a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and show supporting ID instead.Source: votetexas.gov ↗

Check your registration and polling place ↗ Texas's official election site ↗

Checked October 6, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the official site before you go.

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Money in this race

From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.

Al Green (DEM, incumbent)

Raised: $1.7M through 2026-09-30 individuals $1.2M · PACs $84K · candidate's own money, incl. loans $400K · from the candidate's other committees $3,137 · cash on hand $46K
Outside spending: $47K opposing Green · latest reported 2026-05-06
Largest outside spenders: PROTECT PROGRESS — $47K opposing Green Largest donors: FAIRSHAKE $33.0M (>99%) (its largest donors: RIPPLE LABS INC. $48.0M, an organization; COINBASE $25.0M, an organization; COINBASE COMMERCE (EXCHANGE) $8.2M, an organization); RIPPLE LABS INC. $250K (1%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC)

Bundled through PACs: $500 through 1 PAC · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01 JSTREETPAC — $500 from 1 gift Lobbyist/registrant PAC

28 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVT. EMPL. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,000
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFL-CIO COPE $2,500
AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS UNION COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL ACTION $5,000
COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA COPE $10K
CULAC THE PAC OF CREDIT UNION NATIONAL ASSOCIATION $2,500
DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN, INDEPENDENT VOTER EDUCATION (THE PAC OF THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS) $2,500
DOGGETT FOR CONGRESS $2,000
ELECT ALICE CHEN TO STAFFORD CITY COUNCIL CAMPAIGN $500
GIVING WILLINGLY EMPOWERING NATIONALLY PAC $1,000
GRADY PRESTAGE CAMPAIGN $1,000
GRIDIRON-PAC $2,500
INDEPENDENT BANKERS ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS FEDERAL PAC (IBAT FEDPAC) $1,500
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF BOILERMAKERS CAMPAIGN ASSISTANCE FUND $3,500
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN'S ASSOCIATION AFL-CIO COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION $5,000
JEFFREY WILLIAM TRAVILLION CAMPAIGN FUND $500
JUST PAC $2,500
MIDWEST REGION LABORERS' POLITICAL LEAGUE $5,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,000
NATIONAL BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
NEW SOUTH LEADERSHIP PAC $1,000
PAC TO THE FUTURE $5,000
PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE $5,000
SEIU COPE (SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION) $5,000
TEXAS FIRST PAC $1,000
UNITED AIRLINES, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (UAPAC) $3,000
UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION ACTIVE BALLOT CLUB $5,000
UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA POWER PAC $1,000

All filings at the FEC ↗

Sylvester Turner (DEM, incumbent)

Raised: $29K through 2025-10-31 individuals $20K · PACs $9,000 · cash on hand $410
Outside spending: none reported

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

5 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION PAC $2,500
CRH AMERICAS, INC. PAC $2,000
GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (GM PAC) $1,000
MARCHANT GOOD GOVERNMENT FUND $2,500
WINE AND SPIRITS WHOLESALERS OF AMERICA, INC. PAC $1,000

All filings at the FEC ↗

Allen Berry (REP)

Raised: $8,512 through 2026-07-15 individuals $5,261 · PACs $0 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $2,704 · cash on hand $-171
Outside spending: none reported

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

All filings at the FEC ↗

Amanda Edwards (DEM)

Raised: $1.9M through 2026-02-28 individuals $1.8M · PACs $64K · candidate's own money, incl. loans $22K · from the candidate's other committees $169 · cash on hand $3,327
Outside spending: none reported

Bundled through PACs: $4,000 through 1 PAC · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01 EMILYS LIST — $4,000 from 6 gifts

14 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

AKILAH BACY FOR TEXAS $100
ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY PAC, INC. (AKA 'AKA 1908 PAC') $3,300
ALSOPAC $1,000
ELECT BLACK WOMEN PAC $3,200
ELECT DEMOCRATIC WOMEN $10K
ELECT EVERY DEMOCRAT PAC $1,000
EMILYS LIST $10K
GEORGE FOREMAN IV FOR CONGRESS $300
HIGHER HEIGHTS FOR AMERICA PAC $8,450
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY INNOVATION SERVICE PAC $1,000
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE I $7,500
TRI-STATE MAXED-OUT WOMEN $7,500
UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION ACTIVE BALLOT CLUB $10K
WILL OF THE PEOPLE PAC $1,000

All filings at the FEC ↗

Christian Menefee (DEM)

Raised: $3.8M through 2026-10-14 individuals $3.5M · PACs $292K · candidate's own money, incl. loans $100 · cash on hand $78K
Outside spending: $7.1M supporting Menefee · latest reported 2026-10-22
Largest outside spenders: PROTECT PROGRESS — $6.5M supporting Menefee Largest donors: FAIRSHAKE $33.0M (>99%) (its largest donors: RIPPLE LABS INC. $48.0M, an organization; COINBASE $25.0M, an organization; COINBASE COMMERCE (EXCHANGE) $8.2M, an organization); RIPPLE LABS INC. $250K (1%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC) LEADERS WE DESERVE — $287K supporting Menefee Largest donors: HOULIHAN, RITA $3.2M (47%); Barbara Weitz $350K (5%), NOT-Employed, NOT-Employed; Amos Hostetter $225K (3%), Pilot House Associates LLC, Chair; Clay Kirk $210K (3%), Self-Employed, Investor; Dagmar Dolby $200K (3%), NOT-Employed, Retired PROJECT 218 — $200K supporting Menefee Largest donors: DEMOCRACY MATTERS $5.9M (50%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Keith Behner $250K (2%), Retired; Amos Hostetter $250K (2%), Retired; James Millstein $250K (2%), Millstein & CO., Consultant; Samuel Walton $250K (2%), Restoration Works, Executive CONGRESSIONAL PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS PAC — $100K supporting Menefee Largest donors: BATTLEGROUND BLUE PAC $300K (11%) TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE — $88K supporting Menefee Largest donors: Steven C Phillips $340K (31%), Self-Employed, Attorney; Karla Jurvetson $320K (29%), Self-Employed, Physician and 1 more

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

47 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

AAJ PAC $20K
AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD LLP CIVIC ACTION COMMITTEE (AKA AKIN GUMP PAC) $1,000
AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL FLIGHT ATTENDANTS (APFA PAC) POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
BEYOND THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS PAC $2,000
BLACK WOMEN OF GREATER HOUSTON POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,300
CARPENTERS LEGISLATIVE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS AND JOINERS $10K
CONGRESSIONAL PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS $10K
D.R.I.V.E. - DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN, INDEPENDENT VOTER EDUCATION (THE PAC OF THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS) $15K
DEFEND THE VOTE $5,000
DEMOCRACY SUMMER LEADERSHIP PAC $1,000
DONT GIVE UP THE SHIP PAC $2,000
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE ACTION FUND PAC (EDAF PAC) $1,000
ERICA LEE CARTER FOR TEXAS $2,000
FAIR SHOT PAC $5,000
FORGING PROGRESS $7,000
FUELING INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS EVERYWHERE (FIRE) PAC $4,000
HOUSTON PILOTS $11K
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHEET METAL, AIR, RAIL AND TRANSPORTATION WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION LEAGUE $10K
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,500
INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN'S ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION $5,000
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF PAINTERS AND ALLIED TRADES POLITICAL ACTION TOGETHER POLITICAL COMMITTEE $5,000
JANE FONDA CLIMATE PAC $20K
JUSTICE LEAGUE PAC $2,000
LEADERS WE DESERVE $10K
LINA HIDALGO FOR HARRIS COUNTY $1,000
MAXWELL ALEJANDRO FROST FOR CONGRESS $1,000
MEDICARE FOR ALL $15K
MIDWEST REGION LABORERS' POLITICAL LEAGUE $15K
NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
NATIONAL BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
NATIONAL ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS PAC/ INTN'L UNION OF ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS (NEC PAC) $2,500
NATIONAL NURSES UNITED PAC - A FUND FOR A HEALTHY AMERICA $3,000
NOT SO OLD FASHIONED PAC $1,000
OUR FIGHT OUR FUTURE $2,000
PAC FOR GOOD $1,000
PERSEVERE PAC $250
SIERRA CLUB POLITICAL COMMITTEE $500
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT COALITION PAC (SEEC PAC) $100
TAXPAC $5,000
TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $968
THE CENTER FOR FREETHOUGHT EQUALITY PAC $250
TROUTMAN PEPPER LOCKE LLP POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE, INC. $1,000
UA UNION PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS VOTE! PAC (UNITED ASSOCIATION OF JOURNEYMEN AND APPRENTICES OF THE PLUMBING & PIPEFITTING INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA) $10K
UNITEDEMOCRATS PAC $2,000
WAY TO LEAD $5,000
YOUTH SAVE DEMOCRACY PAC $5,000

All filings at the FEC ↗

Gretchen Brown (DEM)

Raised: $18K through 2026-09-30 individuals $6,828 · PACs $0 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $11K · cash on hand $5,502
Outside spending: none reported

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

All filings at the FEC ↗

Stephen Huey (DEM)

Raised: $38K through 2025-09-30 individuals $38K · PACs $0 · cash on hand $12K
Outside spending: none reported

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

All filings at the FEC ↗

No campaign ads analyzed for this race yet.

What this page is

An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it comes from a national Senate group and ran mostly in TX; or it ran mostly in TX and names a candidate — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific rhetorical move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. Running a check and seeing its verdicts are part of Semblen Pro, because each check costs money to run; anyone can see which claims an ad makes. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
Claim verdicts say what the cited sources say. A verdict that an ad is wrong or misleading is shown only when it cites an established fact-checker or an institutional record — Congress, a federal agency, a court — and its confidence is not low; a weaker one is not shown at all. Each verdict shows what it rests on and how confident it is. If we got one wrong, press Disagree: a verdict that readers dispute and no one defends comes down.
Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.