With a population larger than 26 states and the most populous county in the Lone Star State, Harris County is an important stop on the campaign trail for state and national candidates. However, countywide positions, with constituencies representing more than 5 million residents, are important as well. Who are the leading candidates in key county Democratic and Republican primaries? How well known are these candidates and are they viewed favorably or unfavorably?

To address these questions, the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston conducted two representative surveys of likely March 2026 Democratic and Republican primary voters in Harris County to determine their preferences and opinions about the competing candidates. The surveys were fielded between February 3 and February 10. Representative of voters who are likely to participate in the 2026 Harris County Democratic primary, the sample population for the Democratic survey is 2,000 (with a margin of error of +/- 2.19%). And representative of voters who are likely to participate in the 2026 Harris County Republican primary, the sample population for the Republican survey is also 2,000 (with a margin of error of +/-2.19%).

Harris County Democratic Primary 

In the Democratic primary for the position of County Judge of Harris County, Annise Parker leads Letitia Plummer among likely voters by a 21 percentage point margin (46% to 25%), with Matt Salazar in third place with 5% and 24% undecided.

In the Democratic primary for the position of County Attorney of Harris County, 61% of likely voters are unsure how they would vote in the contest while 26% intend to vote for Abbie Kamin and 13% for Audrie Lawton Evans.

In the races for Harris County Democratic Party Chair and Harris County District Clerk, 77% and 82% of likely voters are unsure for whom they would vote for in these contests, respectively.

This year, Harris County voters are likely to cast about one out of every six votes in the Texas U.S. Senate Democratic primary. Among Harris County Democratic primary likely voters, Jasmine Crockett leads James Talarico by two percentage points, 45% to 43%, with 1% supporting Ahmad Hassan and 11% undecided.

The three Democrats who hold elective office in Harris County government who have the highest net-favorability ratings (percentage favorable minus percentage unfavorable) among likely Democratic primary voters are County Commissioner Rodney Ellis (50%), County Commissioner Adrian Garcia (45%), and Sheriff Ed Gonzalez (45%).

Harris County Republican Primary 

In the Republican primary for the position of County Judge of Harris County, more than half (54%) of likely primary voters are unsure whom they would vote for, while 21% intend to vote for Orlando Sanchez, 10% for Marty Lancton, 7% for Aliza Dutt and 8% for three other candidates combined.

64%, 66% and 75% of likely Republican primary voters are unsure for whom they would vote for in the Harris County Republican primaries for County Clerk, Treasurer and Harris County Republican Party Chair, respectively.

About one out of every ten votes cast in the Texas U.S. Senate Republican primary will be cast by Harris County voters this year. Among these likely Harris County Republican primary voters, John Cornyn is in first place in the U.S. Senate primary with 32%, 5 percentage points ahead of Ken Paxton (27%) and 7 percentage points ahead of Wesley Hunt (25%), with 14% undecided.

Read the report to learn more about where likely Harris County Democratic and Republican primary voters stand on the 2026 candidates running for countywide positions. 

Media Release February 17, 2026

Research Team 

Co-Investigator & Co-Author Renée Cross, Senior Executive Director & Researcher

Co-Investigator & Co-Author Mark P. Jones, Senior Research Fellow, Hobby School of Public Affairs; James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy's Fellow in Political Science, Rice University

Maria P. Perez Argüelles, Research Assistant Professor

Savannah Sipole, Research Associate

Communications Team

Diana Benitez, Program Director, Web & Graphic Design

Falon Boehm, Multimedia Specialist 

Victoria Cordova, Executive Director of Communications

Jeannie Kever, Communications Consultant

Celeste Zamora, Communications Manager

Election Reports

Previous reports on statewide, county and city elections are found here.