BY DAWNA CAMPBELL ON DECEMBER 9, 2025 FROM THE LOS ANGELES TRIBUNE
Republican brings decades of public service experience to race for Texas’s third-largest county
Orlando Sánchez’s journey to American politics began with a telegram from former Harris County Judge, Roy Hofheinz. In 1962, his father received an offer as the first Spanish-language voice for Houston’s inaugural baseball team, the Colt 45s, under the leadership of then-County Judge Roy Hofheinz. That telegram changed everything for the Sánchez family and set young Orlando on a path that would make him a prominent figure in Houston and Harris County politics for decades.
Now, Sánchez is seeking to lead the very county that welcomed his family more than six decades ago. As a Republican candidate for Harris County Judge in the 2026 election, he brings an extensive resume of public service and private sector experience to what promises to be a highly competitive race.
Understanding the Role
For those unfamiliar with Texas county government, the title “county judge” can be misleading. Unlike judicial positions, the county judge serves as the executive head of the county, not as a courtroom adjudicator.
“Texas has 254 counties, and every county has a county judge and four commissioners,” Sánchez explained in a recent interview. The position exists because the Texas Legislature only meets once every two years, creating a need for local administration of governmental affairs across the state’s vast territory.
The county judge oversees Commissioners Court meetings, manages emergency operations, issues permits for alcoholic beverage establishments, serves on the bail bond board, and is a full voting member of Commissioners Court who votes on all matters, including determining the outcome when the four commissioners are evenly divided. Harris County Judge is essentially an executive position for county government—and in Harris County, that means leading the third-largest county in the United States.
A Track Record of Public Service
What distinguishes Sánchez from the five other Republican candidates in the primary is his depth of experience across multiple levels of government and sectors of Houston’s economy. A veteran of the United States Air Force and the Texas Air National Guard, Sánchez has dedicated his life to serving both his country and his community.
In 1995, he made history as the first Latino immigrant elected to citywide office in Houston when he won a seat as city councilman at-large, representing the entire city. He served in that capacity through 2002 and ran for mayor of Houston in 2001, demonstrating his ability to campaign across Houston’s diverse communities.
His most substantial executive experience came as Harris County Treasurer, a position he held for 12 years beginning in the mid-2000s. In that role, he oversaw the finances of America’s third-largest county, managing over a billion dollars annually in public and private funds.
“I’m intimately familiar with the city and the county,” Sánchez said. “Every year, I oversee over a billion dollars of private and public money.”
Private Sector Credentials
Beyond government service, Sánchez has built impressive credentials in the private sector. He currently serves on the board of directors of HCA Healthcare, the largest hospital corporation in America. He has also served on a bank’s board of directors and held the position of past chairman and investment committee chairman for the University of Houston’s foundation, managing $400 million in assets for his alma mater.
This combination of public and private sector experience, he argues, makes him uniquely qualified for the county judge position. “Given the experience I have in government, given the experience I have in the private sector, I’m the one that is best suited to be the nominee,” Sánchez stated. “I’m the only candidate in the race that has voted to slash property taxes in the City of Houston, earning me ‘the Political Courage Award’ by the Republican Party of Harris County.”
Building Latino Political Power
Sánchez’s impact extends beyond his own political career. Recognizing the shifting demographics of Texas, he founded Texas Latino Conservatives (TLC), which he describes as the largest political action committee in the state focused on encouraging conservative Latino participation in politics.
“I saw the changing demographics in Texas, and if Texas wanted to stay conservative, that is mostly Republican, we had to encourage Latinos to start voting conservative,” Sánchez explained. TLC trains hundreds of young Hispanic conservatives annually, many of whom have gone on to public service roles.
He has been a regular presence in Spanish-language media, appearing on Telemundo and Univision, as well as national outlets like Newsmax and Fox News. He served as a Spanish media spokesperson at the Republican National Convention when George W. Bush was nominated, demonstrating his role as a bridge between the Republican Party and Latino communities.
His Republican credentials run deep—he has voted in every Republican primary since the 1980s and attended numerous state and national conventions.
The Economic Case for Harris County
When asked what he wants voters to know, Sánchez immediately focused on Harris County’s economic significance. Texas ranks as the seventh-largest economy in the world, and Harris County represents 23 percent of that total economy.
“We are a massive economic engine, not only for the state of Texas, but the whole nation,” he emphasized. His pitch centers on maintaining the business-friendly environment that he credits for attracting approximately 1,000 new residents to Texas daily from states like Oregon, Washington, and California.
He points to Harris County’s strengths: a skilled labor force, one of the nation’s largest ports, the Texas Medical Center with its medical breakthroughs, and world-class universities including the University of Houston, Rice University, St. Thomas, and Houston Christian University.
Perhaps most notably, Sánchez highlighted that Harris County is the most diverse county in America, with more languages spoken than in any other U.S. County. “We’re an inclusive society,” he said. “People come here for economic opportunities to raise their family, and we want to keep Harris County as the economic engine of Texas.”
The Road Ahead
Sánchez faces a competitive Republican primary before he can advance to the general election. The winner will compete against the Democratic nominee to replace County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who announced she will not seek reelection in 2026.
For Sánchez, the race represents a full-circle moment—an opportunity to lead the county that welcomed a young Cuban immigrant whose father broadcast Major League Baseball games in Spanish to baseball fans for nearly 30 years. Whether his combination of experience, conservative credentials, and Latino outreach will resonate with Harris County voters remains to be seen, but his story embodies the immigrant success narrative that has long been part of the American and Texan identity.
About Orlando Sánchez
Orlando Sánchez is a Republican candidate for Harris County Judge in the 2026 election. A Cuban immigrant who arrived in Houston in 1962, Sánchez is a veteran of the United States Air Force and the Texas Air National Guard. He made history in 1995 as the first Latino immigrant elected to citywide office in Houston, serving as City Councilman At-Large through 2002. He served as Harris County Treasurer for 12 years, overseeing more than a billion dollars annually for the third-largest county in the United States.
Sánchez currently serves on the board of directors of HCA Healthcare, the nation’s largest hospital corporation, as a trustee of the University of Houston Foundation and board of Directors of Capital Bank. He founded Texas Latino Conservatives, the state’s largest political action committee focused on Latino political engagement and is a graduate of the University of Houston.