Judge Lina Hidalgo
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced late Monday that she will not be seeking re-election in 2026.
The decision, announced exclusively during ABC 13’s evening broadcast, marks an end to the progressive Democrats tenure as Harris County’s chief executive. First elected in 2018 at the age of 27 in a stunning upset for 11-year incumbent Judge Ed Emmett, Hidalgo ushered in the “blue wave” in Harris County, eventually swinging Commissioners Court from a Republican to a Democratic majority.
“I am still in office until December 2026 and I’ve got the work cut out for me and that’s not even — knock on wood — counting any emergencies that might arise,” Hidalgo told ABC 13’s Melanie Lawson. “After that, I don’t know. I don’t know what I will do. I know that I’m not running for office this cycle. I can say that with confidence and I know that I will stay in public service.”
Hidalgo is the first woman to lead Harris County and quickly became a star among progressives nationally. She met with President Joe Biden on multiple occasions, and was pictured alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris during her visit to Houston in 2023.
Hidalgo appeared poised for a political trajectory that would see her graduate from local government and to higher office.
But she faced obstacles during her tenure.
Her apparent frustration with her colleagues became a staple of the Commissioners Court’s bi-weekly meetings. Outbursts, thinly veiled insults and underhanded remarks directed toward her fellow Democrats became common.
The souring relationship between Hidalgo and county commissioners culminated in their approval of the first-ever censure of a Harris County judge. The formal admonishment, which did not carry a direct punishment, came after Hidalgo goaded dozens of children into pressuring her colleagues to approve a tax hike proposal intended to fund an early childcare program for low-income families.
It was her unwavering belief in progressive policy-making that ultimately drove a wedge between her and the three Democrats on Commissioners Court. Often emboldened by righteous indignation, Hidalgo eschewed politics — and with it, coalition-building — in favor of a dogged commitment to what she viewed as right.
But the position of county judge is not, nor has it ever been, capable of crushing dissent. Unlike the mayor of Houston, the power of the county judge is built on consent between independently elected officials and not the unilateral exercise of authority over subordinates.
Harris County hasn’t seen the last of Hidalgo, that much is sure. Although she said she didn’t have her sights set on any particular office, the progressive political tycoon likely won’t recede completely from Texas politics.
“In the future, I would like to, if the voters will have me, I’d like to be in elected office again. I think that with everything I’ve been through, I have learned so much about how to be an elected official and make it sustainable,” Hidalgo told ABC 13.
Her announcement paves the way for former U.S. Rep. Erica Lee Carter — who was elected to briefly represent Texas’ 18th Congressional District following the death of her mother, longtime U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee — to declare her candidacy. Lee Carter said in July she would run for Hidalgo’s seat if the judge decided not to run again.
Lee Carter would join an already crowded ballot packed to the brim with Democrats touting significant political cache and deep local ties. Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker in May announced her candidacy followed by City Council member Letitia Plummer, who kicked off her campaign in July.
While it was certainly stunning to wake up to this story yesterday morning, I can’t say it’s a surprise. I’ve been noting Judge Hidalgo’s lack of fundraising, especially compared to where she was at the same time in the 2022 cycle, for some time, which led me to conclude that she was acting like someone who did not intend to run again. She got a boost in funds from legal fees being reimbursed, but that’s not the same thing. At this point, I would have been more surprised if she had said she was running again.
Which is not to say that I’m happy about any of this. I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Judge Hidalgo. I voted for her because I wanted a change of direction in Harris County, and I got what I wanted. She did a terrific job and has helped make Harris County government more responsive, more ambitious, more progressive, more equitable, more modern. And I don’t know how you can talk about the obstacles she faced without talking about the fierce resistance she got from the state government, often laced with withering disrespect and contempt, as if they were insulted to have to be bothered with this young Democratic Latina. Yes, the more recent turmoil was of the intramural variety. But let’s not forget what she went through in her first term, please.
As to what she might do next, I can see another run for office in her future, when the right opportunity arises. I’d rather not speculate at this time, but I assume she will find a new position that’s still involved with politics or policy or both, and that will give her the time and the chance to figure out where she wants to go next. I do think she’s ready to do something else – as noted, it has looked for some time like she was not planning to run again – and I wish her all the best with whatever that is.
As to the 2026 primary, I suppose there could be other contenders beside the three who are now in, assuming Erica Lee Carter hasn’t changed her mind. I will once again be busy with the interviews for the primary season, I know that much. Let me just say Thank You to Judge Hidalgo for her service. I look forward to seeing what she still has to accomplish in this job, and to what she will do going forward. The Press, the Trib, and Reform Austin have more.