Pearland Mayor Kevin Cole has announced his intention to run for Brazoria County judge in 2026.
Cole is a real estate developer who previously served on the Pearland council and on the Planning and Zoning Commission. When he took the oath of office in 2020, Cole became Pearland’s first new mayor in decades, succeeding then-95-year-old Tom Reid, who had been one of the longest-serving mayors in the country.
“Making this decision has been a difficult one but I will still focus on and support the efforts in the city I grew up in and love,” Cole said in his Oct. 9 campaign announcement. “But I believe God has a new direction for me as I seek the position of county judge for Brazoria County.”
That position is currently held by Matt Sebesta, who in September announced he will not seek another term. Sebesta, whose term expires at the end of 2026, has spent 33 years in public office.
Candidate filing for the March 2026 primaries will begin Nov. 8.
More information on Cole’s campaign can be found at coleforbrazoria.com
