The Harris County judge race's crowded field
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From left: Annise Parker, Letitia Plummer, Orlando Sanchez and Marty Lancton . Photos (from left): Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images; Karen Warren via Getty Images; courtesy of the Sanchez campaign; Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images.
The race for Harris County judge is wide open, with a crowded field from both parties vying to lead county government.
Why it matters: After eight years under Judge Lina Hidalgo — who flipped the seat in 2018 and led the county through hurricanes and COVID — voters will choose who runs the nation's third-largest county, overseeing a multibillion-dollar budget, disaster response and core public services.
The big picture: With no incumbent on the ballot, both parties see an opening in a county that was previously Republican for decades — and that remains politically competitive.
- Gov. Greg Abbott has pledged to turn Harris County "dark red."
The Democratic field
The Democratic primary features Annise Parker, Letitia Plummer and Matthew Salazar. Parker and Plummer are widely seen as the top contenders.
Parker, the former three-term Houston mayor, enters with the most name recognition and executive experience. She previously served 12 years on the Houston City Council and as city controller, and later led the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund.
- Parker, the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city, has built a reputation as a pragmatic, fiscally focused leader. She's running on public safety, infrastructure investment and flood mitigation, keeping county government financially stable and protecting it from attacks by Abbott.
Plummer, Houston City Council at-large member since 2020 and small business owner, is positioning herself as the community-centered choice.
- She's campaigning on economic opportunity, infrastructure and flood readiness, improvements to Harris Health and housing affordability.
- Plummer, a dentist by trade, recently drew attention for proposing limits on the Houston Police Department's cooperation with ICE. She's mentioned expanding cite and release policies and non-police emergency responses.
Matthew Salazar is a business owner and political newcomer, pitching private-sector experience and government efficiency as his central message.
The Republican field
The GOP primary features Orlando Sanchez, Marty Lancton, Aliza Dutt, Warren Howell, Oscar Gonzales and George Zoes.
Sanchez, a former Harris County treasurer and former Houston City Council member, brings longstanding name recognition and countywide campaign experience. He's running on tax relief, economic growth, reducing crime and what he describes as restoring "fiscal sanity" to the Commissioners Court.
- Sanchez unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2001 and 2003 and for city controller in 2019 and 2023.
Lancton, the firefighters union president, has emerged as a fundraising leader. He's centering his campaign on public safety, disaster response, infrastructure and fiscal restraint, arguing the county needs stronger leadership on crime.
- He's endorsed by Abbott.
Dutt, the mayor of Piney Point Village, was the first to declare candidacy. Her campaign emphasizes support for law enforcement, immigration enforcement and reducing what she calls government waste.
- If elected, she would be the first person of Chinese descent to serve as Harris County judge.
What's next: Early starts Tuesday and runs through Feb. 27. Election day is March 3.
- If there's a runoff, it would be on May 26.