Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Don't elect their candidate for County Judge" or something and avoided a poor fact checking result. More than 80 percent of Mealer's contributions were spent on advertising, while Hidalgo spent more than 87 percent, according to a report from Community Impact. Mealer, a combat veteran who served in Afghanistan, says she wants the county to go back to the basics and has said she will hire 1,000 additional law enforcement officers if elected and Republicans win a majority on Commissioners Court. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioner Adrian Garcia were set to cruise through local primary elections Tuesday night, but a slew of incumbent judges faced bleaker outcomes at the district courthouse. Hidalgo's 2018 win was fueled by a perfect storm of political factors: voters outraged by the Trump administration, high Democratic turnout for Beto O'Rourke's campaign against Sen. Ted Cruz and the popularity of straight-ticket voting. March 2022 marks an unusually crowded primary season for Harris County politics, with three Harris County . Axios on linkedin. We'll ask them about immigration and the border, climate-fueled flooding, broadband internet, and more. Campaign finance reports received by the Harris County Office of the Elections Administrator on July 15 show $2.88M in total contributions between Feb. 20-June 30 to the two candidates for Harris . Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo is running for a second term as Harris County Judge. "Harris County is still trending blue," Campos said, "and I think with the Dobbs case, the whole abortion case, that's energizing female voters and I think that's going to help out Democrats up and down the ticket.". Austin, TX, April 22, 2022 Republicans Vidal Martinez and Alexandra del Moral Mealer have hit the campaign trail in what has become a heated runoff race for a chance to replace Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo as Harris County judge.. While Mealer and other GOP candidates running for seats on Commissioners Court have maintained an intense focus on crime and public safety, those issues are far from the only challenges facing Harris County government, which also is responsible for planning out billions of dollars in flood control projects, overseeing development in unincorporated areas and running public health institutions that provide treatment for a large share of the county's uninsured, low-income residents. Dozens of supporters for Alexandra del Moral Mealer, the Republican candidate challenging Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, packed the room at the Sept. 13 meeting of Commissioners Court, each wearing "Alex's Army" T-shirts and loudly scoffing when Hidalgo spoke. Both partys candidates for county clerk the office that ran elections in Harris County until Commissioners Court gave that duty to an independent administrator ran unopposed. challenging Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, The key state and local races that your vote will decide in the November 8 midterm election, 1,000 additional law enforcement officers. One of the first priorities for newly elected County Judge Lina Hidalgo was to push through an historic 8% property tax increase - the maximum property tax increase allowed. Republican Harris County Judge candidate Alexandra del Moral Mealer gets ready to talk to the media as early election results come in at her watch party at Kirby Ice House on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in Houston. I am committed to working hard every day . Marie D. De Jess/Staff photographer . According to election results from 2016 and 2020, Democrats hold a 12-point advantage in Precinct 4. So, I think it's actually harmful to spend a lot of time talking about issues that aren't in your control," Mealer said. Republicans and prominent business leaders in Harris County made unseating Hidalgo a priority. But the ad could have said "Mealer refuses to oppose Abbott's extreme abortion ban," or even "Texas Republicans support Abbott's extreme abortion ban. As many of you know, I am not a stranger to public service. The poll, which surveyed nearly 1,000 likely election voters, has Mealer leading 48 percent to Hidalgo's 44 percent. For the first time, the two candidates for Harris County judge, incumbent Lina Hidalgo and challenger Alexandra Mealer, sat down face-to-face. 10:46 AM CDT October 23, 2022 . She assumed office on January 1, 2019. Members of her own party also tried to "preserve the status quo," Hidalgo said without naming anyone in particular. The elections took place amid a series of hurdles at the ballot box, culminating Tuesday night with Harris County election officials asking the state for an extension on the 24-hour deadline, required by state law, to count all the votes. Ballotpedia's 2022 elections analysis. "That is a key priority," Hidalgo said. The poll released by the UH Hobby School of Public Affairs shows Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo at 48% among likely . "I want to thank her for her concession and I want to thank her again for her service to our country so let's give her a round of applause." I also want to thank Ms. Mealer for a hard-fought campaign & her military service. Dan Patrick, as well as her fellow commissioners Jack Cagle and Tom Ramsey. People are looking beyond party lines and looking to the person, and thats the way local politics really should be, Mealer told reporters following the initial results. Republicans say violent crime is up, Dems say it's down. He grew up in Connecticut, graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, and is a die-hard Red Sox fan. In that race, Hidalgo a little-known challenger capitalized on Democratic enthusiasm in a midterm election under a drastically unpopular Republican president. Sort of. They attributed the delay to damaged ballot sheets that must be duplicated before they can be scanned by counting machines, according to Secretary of State John Scotts office. Both candidates have highlighted their ethnicityin their campaigns: Hidalgo was born in Colombia and immigrated with her family to the U.S. in 2005, while Mealer's paternal grandfather immigrated from Spain. Alexandra del Moral Mealer, the Republican candidate for Harris County Judge, chats with attendees and other candidates running for difference offices during a meet and greet hosted by Magic Circle Republican Women, Log Cabin Republicans of Houston and the Houston Young Republicans in the Heights on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Hidalgo's victory helped secure a 4-1 Democratic majority on the court that was sealed after former civil court judge Lesley Briones beat incumbent Republican commissioner Jack Cagle for the Precinct 4 seat. "Truth won over lies." In addition to the county judge race, Republican Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle is running against Democrat Lesley Briones, and Democratic Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia is in a rematch with Republican Jack Morman, the former commissioner he narrowly ousted four years ago. Friday, November 4, 2022. "We believe and we stick to our values and that's what we brought to county government," Hidalgo told supporters at the Sam Houston Hotel late Tuesday, appearing with fellow Democrats Garcia and Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis. Incumbents in more high-profile local posts, namely Hidalgo and Garcia, fared better. Three county jurists County Court at Law Judges Franklin Bynum and David Singer, and Probate Judge Michael Newman also were behind in the early tallies. A strong gender gap exists in the vote for county judge, with Hidalgo holding a 12% lead over del Moral Mealer among women (52% to 40%), while del Moral Mealer . Democratic Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, left, is facing a challenge from Republican Alexandra Moral del Mealer. This is a carousel. Her current term ends on December 31, 2026. HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas (KVEO) Hidalgo County's judge will seek to keep his position for four more years in 2022. Elections Lina Hidalgo reelected as Harris County judge . Alexandra del Moral Mealer, the Republican nominee for Harris County judge, speaking at the press conference at the Harris County DeputiesOrganization in Houston. The Democratic incumbent has touted her response to the COVID-19 pandemicincluding supporting measures like drive-thru voting to help make it easier to voterecord investments in the county toward early childhood education, and creation of a legal defense fund for immigrants under her leadership. Lina Hidalgo throws shade at 'furniture salesman' Mattress Mack during victory speech, Mayor: HISD has two optionsclose school or be taken over, Rare photos show 2 ocelots crossing South Texas road, Eric Gordon trade looking better and better for Houston Rockets, Willie Nelson pays lovely tribute to another country legend, Hiker takes 'once-in-a-lifetime' photo at Brazos Bend State Park, This Texas Hill Country town is the new, cooler Fredericksburg. Mar 2, 2022. "We've worked for a commissioners court that looks like our county and we've worked to make sure that diversity is represented throughout the leadership of county government," she said. The request to keep the polling sites open late was made by the Texas Organizing Project, Texas Civil Rights Project and the ACLU of Texas. She has defended the staffers, who are accused of steering a vaccine outreach contract to a politically connected vendor. STAY IN THE KNOW, by visiting our website in the next couple of days. Shortly before 5 a.m., the early votes and less than half of the 375 voting centers had been reported. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo gives a speech at the Harris County Democratic Party headquarters after being reelected for a second term on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022 in Houston. Editor's note: This article has been updated to include responses submitted by Alexandra del Moral Mealer. November 8, 2022 (General) Hidalgo. Republican challenger Alexandra del Moral Mealer has conceded her bid to unseat Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, with unofficial results show her trailing by . She was previously a political reporter with the Texas Signal. Austin, TX, October 4, 2022 A new poll out Tuesday shows voters prefer Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer to incumbent Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo 48 to 44 percent, with 8 percent undecided.. On behalf of the conservative Defend Texas Liberty Political Action Committee (PAC), CWS Research conducted the survey of 900 likely voters in Harris County between September 24 and October 1. 5 Deputy Corporal Charles Galloway. At first, there was little sign she would face a serious re-election threat, with Harris County appearing to solidify as a Democratic stronghold by 2020. another GOP candidate for county judge, called Hidalgo a "formidable campaigner," adding that progressives see her as a key component to flipping Texas blue. What does the data say? "To the extent we work on these issues that affect us all, all of us will do better. Where do the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge stand on the biggest challenges facing colonia residents and the Rio Grande Valley? A new study says yes. The last-minute celebrity endorsements were one of Hidalgos last campaign moves before the Nov. 8 election. Jasper Scherer covers Texas politics and government for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. She has said the GOP plan would create hundreds of new positions that may never be filled, while preventing raises for the current police officers and cutting critical funding for flood control, public health, and other areas.. McGuinness previously covered the Rhode Island statehouse for the Associated Press and breaking news for the Boston Globe. The two emerged as victors in a nine-person primary election last month, with Mealer capturing 29 percent to Martinez's 26 percent. Staff members faced charges of misuse of official information and tampering with a government record in connection to a county contract awarded by Hidalgo's office to a local public relations firm to create a county COVID-19 outreach program. For the latest and best fromChron,sign up for our daily newsletter here. Hidalgo has been forced to play defense on the issue, with Mealer and other Republicans pointing to a rise in homicides and overall violent crime in Harris County. Among those trailing are five criminal district court judges: Chuck Silverman, 183rd district court; Abigail Anastasio, 184th; Greg Glass, 208th; and Amy Martin, 263rd. LUPE was founded in 1989 by farmworker and civil rights leaders . Hidalgo, meanwhile, raised about $2.4 million in . Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo tries to win re-election but faces a challenge from Republican Alexandra . "While we did not accomplish our goal of changing leadership in Harris County, we were successful in elevating the profile of critical issues like the need to appropriately resource our law enforcement and criminal justice system, as well as the desire to eliminate corruption and increase transparency in local government," Mealer said in a statement on social media. Staff writers Samantha Ketterer, Yilun Cheng and Elizabeth Trovall contributed to this report. pic.twitter.com/WBczbAdXiT, Mealer issued a statement conceding victory on Twitter earlier Wednesday morning, writing: "While we did not accomplish our goal of changing leadership in Harris County, we were successful in elevating the profile of critical issues like the need to appropriately resource our law enforcement and criminal justice system as well as the desire to eliminate corruption and increase transparency in local government. From attacks by Texas Republicans, charges filed . Particularly among the Democrats, she remains very popular.". 2022 / 08:13 AM CST . Onward! Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo greets people in line outside West Grey Multi-Service Center, 1475 W Gray St., on Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Houston. . Since July, Republican donors have poured nearly $9 million into Mealer's bid to unseat Hidalgo a staggering haul for a county judge race. A runoff also will be necessary in the wide open Democratic primary for the Precinct 4 seat on Commissioners Court, newly drawn last year to improve the partys chances of defeating Republican incumbent Jack Cagle. She's responsible for emergency management, which means she's in charge when disasters strike, whether that comes in the form of chemical fires, floods, a pandemic or power grid failures during a historic winter storm . With all voting centers reporting, Hidalgo had 546,745 votes (50.74 percent) to Mealer's 530,788 (49.25 percent. Previously, she was a community news and breaking news reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. Marc Campos, a longtime Houston Democratic consultant who is not involved in the race, said Hidalgo likely will benefit from low propensity voters who feel motivated to turn out because of abortion rights. Hidalgo took . Help us ask the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge the challenging questions. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo looks back at Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner before they gave a joint press conference about growing Monkeypox infections Monday, July 25, 2022, at Houston TranStar headquarters in Houston. "My opponent will often say, well, none of these are county issues," Hidalgo said. Eight district court judges and two county court-at-law judges trailed opponents in early returns for the Democratic primary elections, results that figure to introduce a significant amount of turnover on local benches. Tensions ran high as the court's two Republican members skipped the meeting, blocking the three Democrats from passing their proposed tax rate unless they agreed to specific terms for funding law enforcement. WINNERS AND LOSERS: Who won and who lost in the 2022 midterm elections across Houston and rest of Texas? The impending takeover of HISD by the TEA dates back to 2019, when Wheatley High School triggered a state law by failing to meet accountability standards for seven consecutive years. She said both local parties, following the secretary of states advice, agreed to seek a court order adjusting the deadline. Release: Hidalgo County Judge Candidates Will Tackle the Biggest Challenges Facing Colonia, RGV Residents at LUPE Candidate Forum. Incumbent Cagle lost his bid for reelection as Harris County Precinct 4 commissioner against Democratic challenger Lesley Briones, a civil court judge. Hidalgo's staffers being charged in 2022 with helping . Sam Gonzlez Kelly is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle. The national environment a key factor in the outcome of the county judge race, political experts say now appears to be shifting back in favor of Republicans. said Judge Lina Hidalgo, the top elected official of Harris County, Texas, after news broke last week that 30 truckloads of contaminated firefighting water were arriving each day to Deer Park, a suburb of Houston. Hidalgo enjoyed a small lead in the 2018 early vote, and she performed better on Election Day, growing her lead to secure a 50-to-48 percent victory. If Hidalgo holds on to win, she will have overcome an aggressive re-election fight in a hostile political climate for Democrats. The judge congratulated other candidates who . We pride ourselves on doing our best, being responsible with taxpayer . Austin, TX, February 8, 2022 With increasingly heated discussions over public safety and rising homicide rates, and a grand jury investigation over an $11 million vaccine outreach contract looming, multiple Democratic and Republican candidates have filed for a chance to challenge Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo in 2022.. Hidalgo faces five challengers in the Democratic primary, most . Taken on September 7, 2022. Early voting in the March primary begins on Valentine's Day. Lina Hidalgo (@LinaHidalgoTX) November 9, 2022. . Procedures for Candidates, 2019-2021. The Houston Chronicle's editorial board makes an endorsement for the Harris County judge that can be considered crucial in the tight race. Candidate for Harris County Judge Alexandra del Moral Mealer poses for a photo Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, at the Houston Chronicle offices in Houston. Q&A with Harris County judge candidate Alexandra Mealer. LUPE is a nonprofit organization that helps the community organize for and win a better quality of life. Hector de Leon, who works for the county clerk's office that used to oversee elections, analyzed early vote data to show some turnout trends among different demographic categories. As Hidalgo's woes multiplied in commissioners court, her political opponent continued to rack up high-dollar contributions from well-heeled conservative donors. Come find out at a candidate forum hosted by LUPE and LUPE Votes this Friday, February 4th at 5 pm online. Hidalgos stature quickly skyrocketed after the 2018 election, as she developed a passionate following among liberals inspired to see a Colombian immigrant elected at age 27 go toe-to-toe with Republican state leaders and veteran county commissioners. Corresponding demonstrations led by members of local law enforcement only added to the sentiment that the judge's control was under pressure, and opposition against the incumbent was capped by the court being forced to adopt a no-new budget stance due to ongoing Republican no-shows. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo saw her most challenging year in politics in 2022. Hidalgo and other Democrats hoped that firewall would help them stave off challenges in a race where their contests appear in the latter pages of a drawn-out ballot. She's challenging Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo to become the chief executive over county government and head of the Commissioners Court. Mealers bid focused on the rise in crime Harris County has seen since the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking to lay blame for that uptick at Hidalgos feet, although similar or larger increases have occurred across the country. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. In April, three Hidalgo staff members, including her chief of staff, were indicted for misuse of official information and tampering with government evidence. The board praised her plans to combat violent crime in the county and promises to clear a backlog of criminal cases at the courthouse. And the pandemic is deepened inequality and exacerbated existing divisions. Adrian Garcia is in a rematch with Republican Jack Morman, Lina Hidalgo and Alexandra Mealer debate Harris County budget, crime and policy, appeared to gain some breathing room over the summer, What you need to know about Lina Hidalgo and Alex Mealer in the race for Harris County judge, refused campaign contributions from county contractors, have relied heavily on firms that do business with the county, has raised millions from small-dollar donors, Hidalgo, Harris County Dems hope for boost from abortion, national trends, but races still competitive over crime, economy. 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HOUSTON Lina Hidalgo, the progressive Democrat who leads Texas's largest county, which includes Houston, narrowly won re-election despite a well-funded effort by a Republican . The result could be a 4-1 Democratic powerhouse, the same 3-2 divide or a shift back to a Republican-controlled court. Is Whataburger healthy? Coln, the GOP strategist, said Hidalgo is looking to infuse other cultural issues into the campaign to draw attention away from the fact that she's made Harris County a more dangerous place.. Brioness lead over Cagle came in part by design. Texas 2022 Elections GOP Harris County judge candidate contesting her loss after . And the total number of votes will far surpass the total in 2014, the last time Republicans won countywide seats. Hidalgo has scoffed at Mealers police hiring pledge, pointing to the countys more than 400 unfilled law enforcement positions. Who won and who lost in the 2022 midterm elections across Houston and rest of Texas? Campaign Finance Reports. Alexandra Mealer is a tenacious campaigner, said Jessica Coln, a Houston-based Republican strategist who is uninvolved in the race. "Because Lina has funded more full-time social workers than she has sheriff deputies.". Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Received, not Postmarked) Friday, February 18, 2022. Unofficial results for county, state and federal primary races have been released in Hidalgo County, with voters casting ballots in races, including county judge, criminal district attorney and governor. Join ABC13's political reporter Tom Abrahams as he talks with Democrat County Judge Lina Hidalgo and her Republican opponent, Alexandra del Moral Mealer, about this November's general election. Judges at the courthouse quickly encountered trouble in those unofficial returns. During a hotly contested primary, she won endorsements from key members of the Harris County Republican establishment, including Precinct 5 Constable Ted Heap, former commissioner Steve Radackand popular furniture magnate Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale. art. Her leadership has been recognized through several awards and national awards, especially for her response to the COVID-19 pandemic and received recognition for protecting voting rights. Heres what you need to know.
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