Environmental advocate defeats oil and natural gas executive in redrawn Texas House district

Leticia Gutierrez (D) is projected to defeat Alex Mealer (R) in Texas’s 9th District, according to Decision Desk HQ .

Gutierrez is leading Mealer by 14 points with 78 percent reporting, per DDHQ.

Gutierrez will succeed Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) in representing the 9th District. After state lawmakers redrew Green’s Houston-area district last year to favor the GOP, Green lost to Rep. Christian Menefee (D-Texas) in the 18th District’s Democratic primary runoff .

Gutierrez is the former chief of staff for the Houston City Council and an environmental advocate. She secured 53 percent of the vote in a crowded Democratic primary to secure the nomination earlier this year.

Mealer served in the Army for five years, reaching the rank of captain. After her service ended, she worked in the investment banking sector in Houston, focusing on oil and gas transactions.

She also has local governing experience from her time as public safety chair on the board of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County in 2024 and 2025.

Mealer defeated Texas state Rep. Briscoe Cain (R) in the GOP primary runoff earlier this year with President Trump’s endorsement.