Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo formally announced she will not seek reelection for a third term as judge of Texas’ largest county. Hidalgo said in a Sept. 15 news release that she is keeping her promise not to serve more than two terms.
“I ran for office as a change maker to challenge the establishment and bring a fresh perspective to a Harris County government. I never ran for office to build an empire, which is why I am keeping my promise not to serve more than two terms,” Hidalgo said. “I’m so proud of our community and all of the progress that we’ve achieved together, from expanding early childhood education to making our community safer.”
The announcement comes just weeks after addressing a crowd of Houston business leaders and constituents about her reelection status during the 2025 State of the County keynote address. Hidalgo hinted Sept. 5 she would announce “soon” whether or not she would run in 2026.
Zooming out
Hidalgo has served as county judge since 2019 and was reelected after winning the county seat during the November 2022 general election. Her current four-year term ends Dec. 31, 2026. In the year leading up to the 2026 general election, several candidates publicly announced their campaigns for the county judge seat, including:
- Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker
- U.S. Rep. Erica Lee Carter, daughter of U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee
- Houston Firefighters Union President Marty Lancton
- Houston City Council member Letitia Plummer
- Spring Branch resident Warren Howell
Going forward
During her 2024 State of the County keynote address, Hidalgo highlighted how Harris County commissioners have faced challenges not only during the COVID-19 pandemic but also throughout the various emergency weather events that took place in the region, including Hurricane Beryl last July and the May derecho wind storm, which knocked out power for more than 1 million residents.
Harris County commissioners have initiated various responses to the emergency disasters last year, including:
- Applying for debris removal reimbursement grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Texas Division of Emergency Management, as county officials remove debris from private property and roads
- Authorizing $10 million within the Harris County Flood Control District's reserve fund budget to contract debris removal services in various county channels, which also includes funding for staff augmentation and other support services needed by the department
- Authorizing public contingency funding not to exceed $30 million for Beryl relief efforts, which includes $24 million for debris removal vendors and debris monitoring vendors
Hidalgo said her work is not done, and she is excited to see what more can be achieved throughout the rest of her term.
“To the voters, it continues to be an honor to serve as your county judge,” Hidalgo said.
