Gov. Greg Abbott is escalating the ongoing GOP battle against Harris County elections -this time, threatening a state takeover of operations and potential legal charges. "They should be stripped of the operating elections, and state officials should take over," Abbott wrote on X Thursday, referring to Harris County election officials.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said Democrat-leaning Harris County "should be stripped of operating elections" while referencing a Houston Public Media report about the local tax office finding more than 100 voter registrations linked to P.

Harris County officials push back after Governor Greg Abbott calls for the state to take over local elections, citing security measures and transparency as they prepare for upcoming elections, including the midterms.

Jonathan Fombonne, the newly appointed Harris County attorney, said Gov. Greg Abbott lacked the authority to take control of local elections in a Friday news release.

Just four candidates have declared their intent to challenge two incumbent commissioners, each of whom represent roughly a million residents, in the 2026 elections.

Four judicial candidates withdrew from their 2026 races after incumbent judges and other Democrats filed suits alleging their candidate filings contained forged signatures and other irregularities.

By the end of June, Harris County will have held at least five elections, including special elections, runoffs, and the March primary.

Harris County commissioners will meet Jan. 8 with more than 300 agenda items spanning from county operations and security regarding the upcoming election cycle to the possible postponement of the Ben Taub Hospital expansion in the Texas Medical Center.

A handful of states are teeing up special elections in the beginning of 2026 in some of the earliest tests for Democrats as they look to continue their streak of wins and overperformances ahead of