Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker announces run for Lina Hidalgo’s seat atop Harris County government

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Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker is ready to be back in Houston politics.

Parker announced Wednesday that she is running for Harris County judge in 2026, setting up a potential intra-party challenge against fellow Democrat Lina Hidalgo, who has held the seat since 2019 and narrowly won reelection in 2022.

Hidalgo has not yet publicly stated definitive plans for 2026. Parker is the first well-known Democrat who has announced a run to preside over the commissioners court of Texas’ most populous county.

“I’m running for Harris County Judge to keep our county safe, affordable, and thriving,” Parker said in a statement. “I’m running to fight the chaos that is hurting our seniors, families, and small businesses. I’m running to fight for US.”

In her announcement, Parker took aim at Republican President Donald Trump, who began a second term in January.

“Donald Trump is throwing millions of Americans off healthcare to fund tax cuts for billionaires – and gutting FEMA, which pays for our local response to hurricanes, flooding, and major disasters,” she said.

Parker made history as the first openly LGBTQ+ mayor for a major American City when she was first elected as Houston’s mayor in 2010. She served two terms as mayor and has been out of politics since 2016. She is the only person to hold the office of mayor, controller and council member in Houston.

After her tenure as Mayor ended, Parker became the CEO and president of the LGBTQ+ Victory fund, a political action committee. She resigned from the PAC in December.

The only other candidate in the race for Harris county judge is the mayor of Piney Point Village, Aliza Dutt, a Republican who was elected in 2024, according to the Houston Chronicle.

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