Houston, Texas: Letitia Plummer Beats Orlando Sanchez to Become Harris County Judge

HOUSTON (Orbit Post) Letitia Plummer won the race for Harris County judge on Tuesday night, beating Republican Orlando Sanchez in the contest to lead the government of Houston and the most populous county in Texas.

With only early votes reported by 9:30 p.m., Plummer led Sanchez 62 percent to 38 percent, the Houston Press and KPRC 2 reported. Sanchez conceded shortly after 9 p.m. and called Plummer to congratulate her, FOX 26 Houston reported. Plummer posted "WE DID IT" just after the call.

"Tonight belongs to every person who believed in this campaign, knocked on doors, made calls and showed up at the polls," Plummer said, according to the Houston Press. "I am beyond grateful."

A first for Harris County

Plummer will be the first African American elected Harris County judge, KPRC 2 and the Houston Press reported. The Houston Press reported she will also be the first Muslim to hold the post, and the Houston Chronicle, cited by HBCU Buzz, reported that makes her the highest ranking Muslim executive official in Texas history. She succeeds Lina Hidalgo, the first woman to hold the job, who chose not to seek another term.

The county judge in Harris County does not sit in a courtroom. The judge presides over the five member Commissioners Court, oversees a multibillion dollar budget, and coordinates disaster response for a county of nearly five million people, the Houston Press reported. The post pays more than $208,000 a year.

The road through Parker and Sanchez

Plummer represented At-Large Position 4 on Houston City Council from 2020 to 2025, FOX 26 reported. She is a dentist and, according to her campaign, a small business owner for more than 25 years. In the March 3 primary she finished second to former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, about 47 percent to 37 percent, then beat Parker in the May 26 runoff with about 51 percent, HBCU Buzz reported.

Sanchez, a former Harris County treasurer and Houston city controller, ran on routine audits, lower property taxes and tighter spending, the Houston Press reported. After the early count made the outcome clear, he told supporters the voters had made their decision and he respected it.

Plummer's campaign listed four pillars: emergency preparedness, affordability, health care and public safety, FOX 26 reported. Those issues now sit with the court she will lead, which also handles county roads, flood control and public health funding.

Harris County voters were also poised to return Democratic Commissioners Lesley Briones and Adrian Garcia. With only early votes reported, Briones led former Commissioner Steve Radack 63 percent to 37 percent, and Garcia led pastor Richard Vega 66 percent to 34 percent, the Houston Press reported.

Plummer will take office in January. Results are unofficial until the county canvasses them.