HARRIS COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIR CHALLENGER ISSUES URGENT CALL FOR ACTION IN THE FACE OF THE SPECIAL ELECTION RESULTS

Houston, Texas — November 18, 2025

With the exception of the Houston Independent School Board and the Baytown City Council victory, the Harris County Special Election results on November 4^th were beyond disappointing for Republicans across Harris County.  

“I waited over two weeks to issue a statement, out of respect for the office of Harris County Republican Party Chair,” said Harris County Republican Party (HCRP) Chair challenger Michelle Bouchard.  “I can wait no longer.  Business as usual simply isn’t working for Republicans here. Our party fell woefully short of the victories we know are possible.”

During the November 4th Special Election, seven of nine HCRP-endorsed candidates lost.  Bouchard, who lives in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston, is running against a five- and half-year incumbent.

“We continue to miss opportunities,” according to Bouchard, “and perhaps most troubling, we allowed very radical Democrats to take control of Cy-Fair ISD — a community that has long been the heart of Republican strength and values.”

Although Trump rode a red wave in 2024 to significantly close a gap in blue strongholds in Harris County, Republicans currently hold only 19.6% of all county-wide elected positions. If HCRP continues its painfully slow pace of occasional wins over the last six years, it will take decades to turn Harris County red.

“The results from the Special Election are a wake-up call for change - not the time for finger-pointing or excuses,” according to Bouchard. “We must rebuild trust, re-energize and gather up more precinct chairs for the ground war, and reconnect with the voters who share our values but feel unheard. We must stand united — not just around our principles, but around a shared vision for the future of Harris County.”

Contact:

Amy Henry

Email: Amykophenry@gmail.com

About Michelle Bouchard

Michelle Bouchard, a life-long Republican born in Liberty, Texas, is no stranger to hard jobs. For decades, she juggled big projects, big personalities, and big checkbooks to accomplish the nearly impossible, and enjoyed doing it.

As president of the national nonprofit, HealthCorps, Michelle worked closely with Dr. Mehmet Oz, now President Trump’s appointed Administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to take a two-state project into twenty-three states, improving the resilience and grit of more than 2.5 million high school students.  In addition to meeting all the other demands of that job, Michelle raised more than $70 million to keep the mission thriving in places like with Sharpstown High School, Jack Yates High School, Lamar High School as well as the Chickasaw Nation.

Michelle managed multi-million-dollar budgets, forged unlikely partnerships including Fortune 500 companies all the way to the CDC, and persuaded a room full of government officials to agree on something, an event as rare as snow in July.  She has testified in front of the US Senate on behalf of public service and was chosen by the Secretary of Defense to participate in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC).

Michelle’s career includes political campaigns, government redevelopment projects, and community activism. She served as VP of Finance & Administration of Governor’s Island, New York, appointed by then-governor George Pataki, where she oversaw the first 4 years of Operating/Capital Budgets ($123 million) and funding agreements with City and State for the public benefit corporation subsidiary.  She was a candidate for public office in New York during 9-11, endorsed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Rudy Giuliani, and George Pataki, and won a historic vote in an impossible race, proving she can bridge chasms as wide as Big Bend is wild.

At home in Houston, Michelle is an active Republican Precinct Chair, a member of the HCRP Candidates Committee and the Conventions Committee, a co-founder of Red Riders Houston, a board member of North Montrose Civic Association, a member of: Magic Circle Republican Women’s Club; Greater Houston Pachyderm; Northwest Women’s Republican Club (associate); St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, and Lady Washington Chapter DAR.  She is a former board member of Log Cabin Republicans of Houston and The Hobby Center for Public Policy (University of Houston) and a co-founder of SaveMontroseLiveOaks.  She also co-founded The Alta Arts, a Houston-based nonprofit dedicated to furthering culture and the arts in Gulfton and Sharpstown.

Michelle is blessed with a twenty-one-year-old daughter, a thirty-five-year-old son, a twenty-year-old cat who runs the household, and an eight-year partnership with the best man she’s ever known.  Michelle is a proud, eighth-generation Texan and direct descendent of Joseph Hyland, an early Texas Ranger who fought at San Jacinto, and the Reverend John Haynie, first chaplain of the Republic of Texas.  She knows the difference between “barbeque” and “just grilled meat.” She says “y’all” three ways and knows which one is the right “y’all” for every occasion.

 For more information, visit: www.michelleforcountychair.com