Fort Bend County, Texas

Fort Bend County District Attorney

2 candidates are tracked for Fort Bend County District Attorney, headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Brian M. Middleton and Shawn McDonald. Candidate information follows official Fort Bend County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Fields are from Fort Bend County's official canvassed primary and runoff results; unopposed Texas nominees still print in November. Shawn McDonald won the March Republican contest with 74.9 percent over Mark Rubal; Brian Middleton was unopposed in the Democratic contest.

What this office does

District attorney or prosecutor. The district attorney is the chief prosecutor for the county or judicial district. The office decides which criminal charges to file, negotiates pleas, tries cases and, in many states, advises county government or handles child support and juvenile matters. The office sets local charging and diversion policies within state law.

This race. The sitting officeholder, Brian M. Middleton, is on the ballot.

Texas › Fort Bend County › Fort Bend County District Attorney

Brian M. Middleton

Democratic Incumbent

Top priorities

Public safety through multi-agency operations against violent offenders and human traffickers
Expanded protections for domestic violence victims
Civil rights and public integrity accountability

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Brian M. Middleton is the sitting Fort Bend County district attorney, elected in 2018 as the county's first African-American DA, per the county's elected officials roster. Named 2022 Texas Prosecutor of the Year by the State Bar of Texas and the state prosecutors' association and its 2026 president-elect, he is a certified Texas peace officer who created the county's first Civil Rights and Public Integrity divisions, per his campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Shawn McDonald

Republican

Top priorities

Aggressive prosecution of violent crime
Protecting children and vulnerable victims
Supporting law enforcement and reducing case backlogs

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Shawn McDonald is a Sugar Land municipal court judge and criminal defense attorney, board certified in criminal law, per his campaign site. He began his career as a felony prosecutor in Henderson County, served in the Fort Bend County DA's office starting in 2004, opened his own Sugar Land defense practice in 2006, and was appointed a special prosecutor in the Sandra Bland case. He holds degrees from UNC Charlotte and St. Mary's University School of Law.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotFort Bend County Judge

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Fort Bend County District Attorney in 2026?

When is the Fort Bend County District Attorney election in Texas?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Texas are on the Texas election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Fort Bend County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Fort Bend County and state election office filings, last verified September 29, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Texas election office, or see the full Fort Bend County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Fort Bend County ballot

34 tracked races in Fort Bend County, Texas. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Fort Bend County District Clerk Fort Bend County Clerk Fort Bend County Treasurer See all 34 Fort Bend County races

Candidate profiles

Brian M. Middleton, full profile Shawn McDonald, full profile Official Texas election office