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Under Polland's tenure as the Harris County Republican chairman, the GOP continued to win majorities in the county even if Republican candidates lost in the Houston corporate limits in contested races. Polland earned national recognition for his party's success from such publications as the national conservative weekly, ''[[Human Events]]'', which called him the most effective party chairman in the nation. Other publications in which Polland has been cited are ''The American Spectator'', ''The Houston Chronicle,'' and ''Inside Houston Magazine''.​

Under Polland's tenure as the Harris County Republican chairman, the GOP continued to win majorities in the county even if Republican candidates lost in the Houston corporate limits in contested races. Polland earned national recognition for his party's success from such publications as the national conservative weekly, ''[[Human Events]]'', which called him the most effective party chairman in the nation. Other publications in which Polland has been cited are ''The American Spectator'', ''The Houston Chronicle,'' and ''Inside Houston Magazine''.​

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Polland has been politically close to such Republicans as [[Karl Rove]], the former chief advisor to former [[U.S. President]] [[George W. Bush]]; [[U.S. Senator]] [[John Cornyn]], former Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]], former [[Governor]] [[Rick Perry]], former Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, and Governor [[Greg Abbott]]. He is a leading fundraiser for Republicans, having secured more than $3.5 million for candidates and causes between 1996 and 2006.{{Citation needed|date=September 2011}}​

Polland has been politically close to such Republicans as [[Karl Rove]], the former chief advisor to former [[U.S. President]] [[George W. Bush]]; [[U.S. Senator]] [[John Cornyn]], former Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]], former [[Governor]] [[Rick Perry]], former Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, and Governor [[Greg Abbott]]. He is a leading fundraiser for Republicans, having secured more than $3.5 million for candidates and causes between 1996 and 2006.​

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In 2004, Polland led the Texas Legislative Mission to [[Israel]]. He serves on the national boards of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the Jewish Policy Center, and the board of the [[Susan B. Anthony]] List, a [[pro-life]] political action committee. He is also the vice chairman of the United Jewish Communities. Though he is himself [[Jewish]], Polland has worked closely with the conservative [[Christianity|Christian]] community within Harris County on political matters. Polland resigned in protest from the [[Anti-Defamation League]] after the group criticized conservative Christian activism.{{Citation needed|date=September 2011}}​

In 2004, Polland led the Texas Legislative Mission to [[Israel]]. He serves on the national boards of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the Jewish Policy Center, and the board of the [[Susan B. Anthony]] List, a [[pro-life]] political action committee. He is also the vice chairman of the United Jewish Communities. Though he is himself [[Jewish]], Polland has worked closely with the conservative [[Christianity|Christian]] community within Harris County on political matters. Polland resigned in protest from the [[Anti-Defamation League]] after the group criticized conservative Christian activism.

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Polland has been honored by the Republican National Hispanic Assembly and the National Federation of Pachyderm Clubs. He was designated "Reaganite of the Year" by the [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] Alumni Association. He is the author of ''A Time for Choosing 35 Years Later,'' an update of Reagan's classic speech from October 27, 1964. Esther Slipakoff Polland (born c. 1950) tells the story of her husband's infatuation with Reagan. At the age of fourteen, Polland heard the speech that Reagan delivered on behalf of the Republican presidential nominee, U.S. Senator [[Barry Goldwater]] of [[Arizona]]. She said that Polland often played Reagan tapes in the early 1970s, long before it was clear that Reagan might become president at some point in the future.​

Polland has been honored by the Republican National Hispanic Assembly and the National Federation of Pachyderm Clubs. He was designated "Reaganite of the Year" by the [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] Alumni Association. He is the author of ''A Time for Choosing 35 Years Later,'' an update of Reagan's classic speech from October 27, 1964. Esther Slipakoff Polland (born c. 1950) tells the story of her husband's infatuation with Reagan. At the age of fourteen, Polland heard the speech that Reagan delivered on behalf of the Republican presidential nominee, U.S. Senator [[Barry Goldwater]] of [[Arizona]]. She said that Polland often played Reagan tapes in the early 1970s, long before it was clear that Reagan might become president at some point in the future.​

Polland is active in the interest group, Citizens Lowering Our Unfair Taxes (CLOUT), which seeks [[property tax]] relief in Texas. CLOUT finds that "appraisal creep" has hit Texas homeowners as hard as those in the Northeast, his native [[Illinois]], and in [[Wisconsin]].​

Polland is active in the interest group, Citizens Lowering Our Unfair Taxes (CLOUT), which seeks [[property tax]] relief in Texas. CLOUT finds that "appraisal creep" has hit Texas homeowners as hard as those in the Northeast, his native [[Illinois]], and in [[Wisconsin]].​

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Polland ran unopposed to a second term as Harris County chairman in 2000, but he stepped down in 2002 to contest the District 17 seat in the state Senate in the party [[primary]]. The seat was vacated by veteran Republican J. E. "Buster" Brown of Lake Jackson. Polland lost badly to the physician Kyle Janek, who then prevailed in the November [[general election]]. Janek polled 8,495 votes (68 percent) to Polland's 3,967 ballots (32 percent). In a post-election letter to supporters, Polland wrote: "We ran a strong campaign based on our common conservative philosophy. We faced an incumbent [state representative] who was the darling of the [[Austin]] lobby. We were outspent at least two-to--one ..." Janek was reelected in 2004 and 2006.​

Polland ran unopposed to a second term as Harris County chairman in 2000, but he stepped down in 2002 to contest the District 17 seat in the state Senate in the party [[primary]]. The seat was vacated by veteran Republican J. E. "Buster" Brown of Lake Jackson. Polland lost badly to the physician Kyle Janek, who then prevailed in the November [[general election]]. Janek polled 8,495 votes (68 percent) to Polland's 3,967 ballots (32 percent). In a post-election letter to supporters, Polland wrote: "We ran a strong campaign based on our common conservative philosophy. We faced an incumbent (Janek was a state representative at the time}, who was the darling of the [[Austin]] lobby. We were outspent at least two-to--one ..." Janek was reelected in 2004 and 2006.​

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Polland won the support of many well-known Texas and national Republicans in his state Senate bid including former presidential contender [[Steve Forbes]], the [[publisher]] from [[New Jersey]], former Texas Secretary of State George Strake, Jr., former [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Dan Quayle]], [[Virginia]] Republican activist Morton Blackwell, and former presidential candidate [[Gary Bauer]], the director of the Campaign for Working Families.

Polland won the support of many well-known Texas and national Republicans in his state Senate bid including former presidential contender [[Steve Forbes]], the [[publisher]] from [[New Jersey]], former Texas Secretary of State George Strake, Jr., former [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Dan Quayle]], [[Virginia]] Republican activist Morton Blackwell, and former presidential candidate [[Gary Bauer]], the director of the Campaign for Working Families.