The next election is always closer than you think.
Annise Parker
Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker has been talking to friends and supporters in recent months about making another run for elected office.
Parker, a Democrat who led City Hall from 2010 to 2016, is considering a run for Harris County judge in 2026, according to two people who have spoken to her directly about her interest in the job. The Houston Chronicle granted the sources anonymity to discuss private conversations.
The former mayor said she has not finalized any plans about her future. She is leaving her job at the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund in December and said she will assess her options after departing the political action committee, which is dedicated to supporting LGBTQ candidates for elected office nationwide.
“I don’t know that I’m ready to retire, but I do know that I hate being on the road,” Parker told the Chronicle. “I have to find something that fits my skill set and allows me to be here in the greater Houston area. I’m going to keep my options open.”
She added that while she had not made a decision about running, the county judge position has an appeal.
“I would certainly be open to (county judge), but you know, that’s two years away. Two years is an eternity in politics.”
[…]
Primary elections for the seat will be held in March 2026, with a general election in November. It is not unusual for campaigns to kick off at the beginning of the preceding year, which would allow Parker to start fundraising and organizing a campaign as she exits the Victory Fund.
It is unclear whether Parker would challenge Hidalgo in a primary or if the former mayor is exploring a run in case Hidalgo decides not to seek a third term. There has been speculation that Hidalgo may run for statewide office or eye a federal appointment if President Joe Biden wins in November, instead of seeking reelection.
One of the two sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said Parker is likely to run even if Hidalgo does seek reelection, suggesting the former mayor is interested in taking on the incumbent Democrat.
[…]
Brandon Rottinghaus, a professor of political science at the University of Houston, said a primary matchup between the two would set up a generational fight that could expose intraparty battles that have played out in private.
“That would be stunning to see,” he said.
Let me begin by saying that I consider both Mayor Parker and Judge Hidalgo to be friends. I like and admire both of them. I’ve heard this chatter for a couple of months now, including the speculation that Judge Hidalgo might get an appointment of some kind in a second Biden term. I have some thoughts on this but let me begin by noting what Campos has to say:
I agree that two years is an eternity in politics.
Mayor Parker has been on a City of H-Town ballot over a dozen times including runoffs over the past 30 years. The last time being in 2013, err, eleven years ago – a super eternity in politics. I don’t think she has ever been on a partisan ballot, err, Democratic Party Primary ballot.
I am sure the former mayor will look into polling data. The last polling data I saw on Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo a few months ago show Judge Hidalgo with very high favorable numbers with Democrats.
If the race were held today, Judge Hidalgo would likely score the most endorsements from groups and organizations who endorse in a Democratic Party Primary. I don’t even think that the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus would endorse Annise.
I think Judge Hidalgo would also hold on to the support from most of the elected officials who are Democrats.
The local Fox 26 “What’s Your Point” crew holds zilch influence on a Harris County Democratic Party Primary election. A big zilch. Certainly don’t take political advice from this bunch.
Latino Democratic voters enjoy the fact that a majority of the Harris County Commissioners Court are Latino and Latina. I think they would come out and support Judge Hidalgo and the current majority.
In a Democratic Party Primary in these parts and in these days, the voter landscape tends to favor the more partisan Democratic candidate. I don’t think former Mayor Parker could out-partisan Judge Hidalgo.
You have to figure that one of the factors that contributed to incumbent Harris County DA Kim Ogg getting severely trounced a couple of months in the primary election was because of Ogg’s vendetta against Judge Hidalgo. Yes, I will go on record as labeling it a vendetta after the DA handed the Hidalgo related case off to the crook Texas GOP AG Ken Paxton last week. The vendetta got Ogg 25% of the vote and bolstered Judge Hidalgo’s cred among Democrats.
If DA Ogg and/or crook Paxton decide to indict Judge Hidalgo in the next few months, it will only embolden Judge Hidalgo with Democrats.
Oh, well. 22 months is an eternity in politics. Stay tuned.
I largely agree with this take. We know that Parker considered running for County Judge in 2018 but decided against it because she had enjoyed a close working relationship with then-Judge Ed Emmett (*), and didn’t want to run against him; she very likely decided he would be basically unbeatable anyway, as did a lot of other folks. I’m sure she must have thought about that once or twice since then with a certain amount of wistfulness. That she still might like to have this job can’t be a big surprise to anyone.
The thing is that there’s no way any serious challenge to Judge Hidalgo in 2026 would be anything but ugly, negative, and just soul-crushingly awful for everyone involved. Judge Hidalgo attracted an assortment of opponents in 2022, none of whom were serious challengers. The closest one to that was HCDE Trustee Erica Davis, whose “campaign” consisted of a handful of shiny biographical/introduction videos that never mentioned Hidalgo; it was as if she were running a campaign from years past as the sole challenger to a Republican incumbent. Whatever else a 2026 campaign against Hidalgo would be, it would not be like that.
Annise Parker is a seasoned political veteran who has run and won a bunch of campaigns, though as Campos notes never in a Dem primary. I have no doubt that she could articulate a credible case against Judge Hidalgo and for herself. I’m also sure that she is aware of the effect that would have on a Democratic electorate that likes Judge Hidalgo, and the knock-on effects it would have with her friends and allies in the party who will feel incredibly torn about this. Primary elections are family fights – they can and do leave a lasting mark. This is not an argument for or against any course of action. It’s just how it is.
I can’t say that I would look forward to this election, if it were to happen. I feel like I’m still recovering from Carol Alvarado versus Sylvia Garcia for SD06 back in 2013. As everyone here says, two years is a long time in politics. It’s also closer than you think.
(*) A Houston Mayor who has a close working relationship with a Harris County Judge? Imagine that.
I agree. If Judge Hidalgo can hold herself together for the next two years (e.g. no more scandals, erratic behavior, mental health issues) she should be the favorite against former Mayor Parker in the Democratic primary. Still, Parker would be a strong candidate and have a lot of support. It’s going to be hard for Hidalgo to label Parter a DINO/Republican supporter.
Even with the favorable demographics trends, it would be a huge mistake for Hidalgo to run for statewide office. Recall, Hidalgo just barely won re-election in deep-blue Harris County. She is much too liberal and would be toxic to the entire state-wide Democratic ticket.
As far as a federal government appointment, the best fit for her would probably be HUD. Hidalgo does stand up for the disadvantaged. I do admire that quality in her.
I just puked a little bit in my mouth.
Above, my two favorite Republicans.
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Above, my favorite Manny-Q
David’s right – that right wing, gun toting nutjob, endorsed by Jim Mcingvale fruitcake with the slow blinking eyes (who has a deeply profound message of “I firmly believe that the government derives its power from THE PEOPLE and exists to serve its constituents.”) would have been a much better County Judge.
I will honestly vote for an actual floor, sugar, fruit and nuts fruitcake rather than hardly anyone of either of the two major parties.
I heard a wild rumor that Hidalgo might be considering a run against Whitmire for Houston mayor (talk about way-too-early ideas). Most of Hidalgo’s support is inside the city, not in the unincorporated areas of Harris County. Since being the City of Houston mayor is a higher-profile, higher-publicity Office than county judge, it would give her a better launching point for higher Office in the future (and give the state demographic trends more time to work their Democratic magic). Hidalgo is relatively young and can afford to wait.
If Whitmire sees Hidalgo as a future opponent, that could explain some of the tension between them.
It would also explain why Parker is considering a run – she thinks Hidalgo might be running for mayor. Again, this is just a wild rumor.
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