Who will win the Special Election for TX-18?
$127.3K
NOV 4, 2026
Candidate standings
Live market pricing for the leading candidates in this election.
Overview
Current rolePolitical advisor
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyProgressive Democrat
Age27 years old (Jun 24, 1998)
GenderMale
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LocationTexas
BackgroundPolitical advisor
Notable personal detailsIsaiah Ronnie Martin is a Houston native and Democratic political advisor who ran in the 2025–26 special election for Texas’s 18th Congressional District. He has worked in Democratic politics and previously served as a senior advisor to U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. He was also listed as a government contract consultant during his congressional candidacy filings and coverage.
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Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports progressive economic policies including raising the federal minimum wage to $15/hour, protecting and expanding Social Security/Medicare, and applying the Social Security payroll tax to incomes above $400,000 to bolster the program. Advocates increased federal investments in healthcare, education, workforce development, and other social programs rather than cuts. Emphasizes using federal resources to address local needs and reduce medical and household financial burdens.
Healthcare
Supports guaranteeing universal health care and has said he will back Medicare-for-All or a government-run plan guaranteeing affordable, no-premium/no-copay coverage. Emphasizes expanding access and reducing the cost burden of medical care for district residents.
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Immigration & Border
Supports protections for undocumented immigrants and expanded legal pathways, including a permanent pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals (including Dreamers), increased funding for immigration courts to reduce backlogs, modernization of the green card process, and programs to support immigrant workers and community integration.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate supports protecting reproductive freedom and has said Texas’s abortion bans are detrimental to the health and lives of pregnant people; he favors federal protections for reproductive care.
Climate & Energy
Supports federal investment in clean energy, climate resilience, and pollution cleanup while prioritizing good-paying transition jobs for workers in traditional energy sectors. Advocates for renewable energy, carbon capture, energy-efficient buildings, electric vehicle infrastructure, stronger EPA enforcement, and infrastructure modernization to improve flood and water systems. Emphasis is on a managed transition that leverages Houston’s energy expertise rather than an immediate phase-out of fossil fuels.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports a federal ban on AR-15/assault-style weapons, implementation of universal background checks for firearm purchases, measures to combat trafficking of stolen firearms, and policing accountability reforms (including support for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act).
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262024
2026
2026
LatestCycle 2024
Cycle 2026
Cycle 2026
Source: FEC
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We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
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