Now that Harris County Democratic precinct chairs have voted overwhelmingly to admonish District Attorney Kim Ogg, the move could affect the March primaries. It signals a split in the Democratic ranks that could threaten more than Ogg’s chances of reelection.
Ogg is facing a challenge from the left by former Assistant District Attorney Sean Teare. But if she manages to win her primary, Harris County Democrats will be in for a tough fight from Republican opponents in the fall.
“The cleavage, the fissure, the infighting in the Democratic Party to oust Kim Ogg, I think, has attracted some candidates to run countywide,” said Rice University political scientist Bob Stein. “It wasn’t that long ago that Republicans made a real run at the Democrats in Harris County, for judge and for other offices, and I think this gives a little bit more incentive for the Republicans come November 2024 to not only field and support candidates but to believe that they can make some inroads in what has been a solidly blue county in Harris County.”
Stein named some of the major contenders that have filed for the Harris County Republican primary. “Steve Radack is running for tax assessor,” he said. “City Councilman Mike Knox is running for Harris County sheriff. There is a Republican who has filed for district attorney, Dan Simons, and he’s a former prosecutor in the district attorney’s office when the Republicans still controlled that office.”
Knox, who is term-limited and will step down from Houston City Council in January, is a former Houston police officer and former director of the Houston Police Officers’ Union. He is running in a four-cornered Republican primary against 2020 GOP candidate for sheriff Joe Danna, police sergeant Glenn Cowan, and Paul Day.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the Democratic incumbent, is running for a third term. He faces three challengers in his primary: Joe Inocencio, Vergil Ratliff, and Dana M. Wolfe.
Former Assistant District Attorney Dan Simons and former Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack, by contrast, are running unopposed in their respective Republican primary contests. Of the two, Radack is potentially the more formidable candidate. He represented Harris County Commissioner Precinct 3 for more than 30 years before declining to run for a ninth term.
Further, the Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector’s post will be an open seat. Five Democrats are running in the March primary to succeed Ann Harris Bennett, who announced in October that she would not seek reelection. They include Danielle Keys Bess, Desiree Broadnax, Claude Cummings III, Jerry Davis, and Ann Ramirez. None has Radack’s name recognition or experience.
