Friday the 13th
The Chron E-Board endorsed Orlando Sanchez for Harris County Judge in the MAGA primary. In the endorsement, the E-Board said Orlando’s opponent, Marty Lancton, wasn’t ready for prime time. See this:
Sanchez’s grasp of specifics stood in contrast with Lancton, who was disappointingly vague in talking about what he wanted to do as county judge. He offered agreeable rhetoric about working to make Harris County safer for everyone, whether Democratic or Republican, focusing on police, fire, EMS, flooding protection and disaster response.
“This is about getting the resources of people, because flooding doesn’t care if you’re Republican or Democrat,” Lancton said. “Crime, public safety doesn’t care if you’re Republican or Democrat.”
You won’t hear any disagreements from us on that — especially given that he has walked the walk. Lancton has worked across the political spectrum on issues like the 2023 Proposition A charter amendment to give more power to council members and advocating for firefighters up in Austin.
But he struggled to articulate specific policies or action plans for county government, and instead touted his ability to act as a coalition-builder and work with state leadership in Austin. That’s important, but it was essentially all Lancton had to offer. It almost felt as if he were running for some middle-manager position on a state org chart, eager to be part of the GOP Tammany Hall up in Austin, rather than aspire to serve as the chief executive for Harris County.
Here is the entire E-Board endorsement: Sanchez would bring experience as GOP pick for Harris County Judge.
Interesting. Early voting in person starts next Tuesday.
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Commentary attended the State of the City event at the Hilton Americas yesterday. See the featured photo. I ended up sitting by a fella who used to be a member of MAGA AG Ken Paxton’s press team in the AG’s office. We had a nice conversation on statewide politics. He said he was going to vote for his former boss in the MAGA primary.
At the State of the City, the mayor rattled off his accomplishments and upcoming challenges. Yesterday was trash and recycle day and my black and green bins were both picked up by 9:15 am. Quite an accomplishment. The State of the City event lasted about an hour and a half. That is fine by me. I parked at a lot about two blocks from the Hilton and it only set me back 8 bucks. Nice.
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The following was announced yesterday. This was sent out by the Houston Texans:
HOUSTON (February 12, 2026) – The Houston Texans, Harris County, and Howard Hughes® today announced plans for Toro District™, a transformative new sports and entertainment destination in Bridgeland®, located in Northwest Harris County. The 83-acre project includes a 22-acre, state-of-the-art global headquarters and training complex for the Texans and represents a bold new model for collaboration between professional sports, public leadership, and long-term community development. Toro District is projected to generate approximately $34 billion in long-term economic impact and create more than 17,000 jobs across the region over time. The Texans will participate in the development of Toro District through an affiliate.
Toro District will include a dynamic mix of best-in-class retail, restaurant, hotel, entertainment, commercial, and medical space within Bridgeland Central®, the community’s emerging urban core. Designed as a year-round destination, the district will serve residents, visitors, and businesses while strengthening the region’s infrastructure and civic footprint in one of the fastest-growing corridors in Texas. This landmark public-private partnership reflects the Texans’ commitment to redefining and elevating engagement with the community.
“Today is a historic day for the Houston Texans, our fans, and the Greater Houston area as we partner with Howard Hughes and Harris County on a world-class sports and entertainment destination, including our new headquarters and training facility,” said Cal McNair, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Houston Texans. “Our organization continues to grow and this aligns with our goals of bringing a championship to Houston, enhancing community services and making sports more accessible. This project reinforces our long-term commitment to Harris County and our focus on driving growth and opportunity for the community. It will set the new standard for the global sports and entertainment industry and it’s the most significant evolution for our organization since our inception.”
I don’t go to watch the Texans practice. I go on occasion to games at NRG and that is not going to change. The new facility is expected to open in 2029. If you live in Pasadena or the Clear Lake area, it is going to be a long drive to go see the Texans practice. It will be good for the folks who live in Cy-Fair and The Woodlands.
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This is just in from MLB.com:
The Toronto Blue Jays on Friday acquired outfielder Jesús Sánchez from the Houston Astros in exchange for outfielder Joey Loperfido.
Sánchez, 28, played 134 games between the Miami Marlins and the Houston Astros in 2025, combining to slash .237/.304/.395 with 21 doubles, four triples, 14 home runs, 48 RBI, 13 stolen bases, and a .699 OPS, while recording seven DRS in the outfield. The left-handed hitter from Higuey, Dominican Republic, was originally signed by the Tampa Bay Rays as an international free agent in 2014, making his MLB debut with the Marlins in the 2020 campaign. Over six MLB seasons between the Marlins and Astros, Sánchez slashed .239/.307/.420 with 92 doubles, 13 triples, 73 home runs, 238 RBI, 33 stolen bases, and a .727 OPS over 580 contests.
Loperfido, 26, split the 2025 season between the Blue Jays and the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, batting .333 with an .879 OPS over 41 Major League contests and a .742 OPS across 91 MiLB games. The Philadelphia, PA, native was selected by the Astros in the 7th round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft, eventually making his MLB debut for the club in 2024 before a midseason trade to the Blue Jays on July 29, 2024. The 6-2, 220 lb. left-handed hitter has suited up for 122 career big-league games between Houston and Toronto, slashing .248/.297/.392 with 29 extra-base hits and 39 RBI.
Have a nice and safe Friday the 13th and Saint Valentine’s Day Weekend.