Letitia Plummer will lead the governing body that sets property tax rates and funds flood control for unincorporated Spring after winning the Harris County judge race on Nov. 3.
Plummer, a Democrat, defeated Republican Orlando Sanchez by a wide margin, according to unofficial results. CW39, citing the Harris County Clerk's Office at 8:44 p.m. on election night, reported Plummer at 62% with 647,449 votes to Sanchez's 38% with 396,611. Houston Public Media, reporting Nov. 4 with all voting centers counted, put Plummer's share at nearly 61%. Both sets of figures are early and unofficial.
Two write-in candidates, Vince Duncan and Marianne "Yan" Hess, each drew fewer than 125 votes.
Sanchez conceded shortly after 9 p.m. on election night, Houston Public Media reported.
"The voters of Harris County have made their decision, and while it's not the outcome that we had hoped for, I respect the judgment of the people that we sought to serve," Sanchez said, according to Houston Public Media.
Houston Public Media reported that Plummer is the first African American elected Harris County judge.
The county judge presides over Harris County Commissioners Court, a five-member body that adopts the county's multibillion-dollar budget, sets property tax rates and makes funding decisions on flood control. The county judge also serves as Harris County's director of emergency management. More than five million people live in Harris County, according to U.S. Census Bureau data cited by Community Impact.
Plummer replaces outgoing County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who did not seek a third term. Hidalgo has held the seat since 2018, and her term ends Dec. 31, according to Community Impact.
Plummer, a dentist and small-business owner, previously served as an at-large Houston City Council member. She started her political career with a 2018 congressional bid that fell short before winning her council seat in 2019, Houston Public Media reported. She resigned from city council earlier in 2026 to run for county judge.
During the campaign, Plummer emphasized flood resilience. In coverage published in October, Houston Public Media reported Plummer told a forum organized by The Metropolitan Organization: "Resilience is my primary priority, making sure the infrastructure is managed within our areas, so that every time it rains, you do not flood in your homes, and we are prepared for disaster."
Both Plummer and Sanchez pledged at that forum to support future bond elections to address county flood control needs once the $2.5 billion raised in the 2018 bond election is spent, Houston Public Media reported.
Plummer joins a court that remains under Democratic control. Democratic commissioners Adrian Garcia and Lesley Briones won re-election on Nov. 3, Houston Public Media reported. Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey remains the only Republican on the five-member body.
In recent years, Democratic and Republican members of the court have clashed over flood bond project delays, law enforcement pay increases and budget deficits, Houston Public Media reported. Plummer has said she wants to build a stronger working relationship among court members.
The Harris County Clerk's Office has not yet certified the canvassed results.
