Who is running for Criminal District Judge, 208th District Court in 2026?

Judge, 208th Criminal District Court, Harris County

Beverly D. Armstrong has been judge of the 208th Criminal District Court in Harris County since January 1, 2023, after winning the open seat in November 2022¹. Before taking the bench she spent about 15 years as a prosecutor, including as First Assistant Criminal District Attorney in Polk County and as a court chief and Chief of the Child Abuse Division in Galveston County². She is running for re-election against Republican Stephen Driver¹.

• Judge, 208th Criminal District Court, Harris County, since January 1, 2023¹
• First Assistant Criminal District Attorney, Polk County, at the time of her 2022 campaign²
• Court Chief in the 212th and 10th Criminal District Courts and Chief of the Child Abuse Division, Galveston County District Attorney's Office, about 3 years²
• About 15 years as a prosecutor and 25 years as a licensed attorney as of 2022, handling more than 2,000 cases and arguing before the Ninth Court of Appeals, according to her own account²
• B.S., Civil Engineering, Prairie View A&M University; J.D., South Texas College of Law (part-time program), 1996; licensed in Texas since May 1997²⁵
• Armstrong won the May 2022 Democratic primary runoff for the open 208th District Court seat, then defeated Republican Heather Hudson in the November 8, 2022 general election, 50.7 percent to 49.3 percent, taking office January 1, 2023¹. She is running for re-election in 2026 against Republican Stephen Driver¹⁴.
• Bar poll: The Houston Bar Association's Judicial Preference Poll is a non-binding survey of HBA members' preferences, and the HBA states it is not an endorsement. The 2026 poll was open as of September 27, 2026, closes October 2, 2026, and results are due October 9, 2026; no results had been published as of this writing³.

Assistant District Attorney, Harris County District Attorney's Office

Stephen F. Driver is an assistant district attorney with the Harris County District Attorney's Office, licensed in Texas since 2007¹. He has not previously held judicial office. He is the Republican nominee for the 208th Criminal District Court against incumbent Democrat Beverly D. Armstrong².

• Assistant District Attorney, Harris County District Attorney's Office; criminal practice¹
• J.D., South Texas College of Law; licensed in Texas since July 2007¹
• Driver has not previously held judicial office. He advanced unopposed from the Republican primary for the 208th District Court on March 3, 2026, and faces incumbent Democrat Beverly D. Armstrong in the November 3, 2026 general election².
• Bar poll: The Houston Bar Association's Judicial Preference Poll is a non-binding survey of HBA members' preferences, and the HBA states it is not an endorsement. The 2026 poll was open as of September 27, 2026, closes October 2, 2026, and results are due October 9, 2026; no results had been published as of this writing³.