Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is being challenged within the But that hasn't stopped RGV residents from working together for the things we all need to thrive. Hidalgo County Sample Ballots Lookup 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. The primary election is March 1, 2022. 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. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer, Gary Fountain/Contributor. Mealer is trying to take full advantage, blanketing the airwaves with campaign ads and outspending the incumbent overall. The Houston Chronicle editorial board endorses Republican nominee You can't just look the other way on so many issues.". Her current term ends on December 31, 2026. Their Republican opponents will need runoffs to determine winners. Hidalgo County, Texas, elections, 2022 - Ballotpedia Lina Hidalgo could be Democrats' future in Texas. She has - POLITICO A new poll shows the Harris County Judge's race is neck-and-neck 'This Week In Texas' puts spotlight on Harris County Judge's race Before coming to the Chronicle, Jen spent three years covering City Hall for Houston's NPR station. ", "Sure she had almost $10 million in the bank, a U.S. senator, a furniture salesman, unscrupulous folks who were willing to tell lies, and a baffling editorial board endorsement representing the establishment," Hidalgo said. While Hidalgo has raised millions from small-dollar donors, she has struggled to keep pace with Mealer, who reported a fundraising haul of $4.9 million from July 1 through Sept. 29, the latest period covered by public campaign finance reports. 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. Dylan McGuinness covers City Hall and local politics for the Houston Chronicle. 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 . Staff writers Samantha Ketterer, Yilun Cheng and Elizabeth Trovall contributed to this report. she shouted to roaring applause. . Republicans and prominent business leaders in Harris County made unseating Hidalgo a priority. 2022 Wave elections; That fundraising ability allowed Mealer to distribute TV ads hammering home her message that crime is out of control and Hidalgo is to blame. Hidalgo took in $1.5 million during the same period, less than a third of Mealers sum, and she was outspent by more than $2 million. Our nation is too divided right now and it's been divided for too many years," Hidalgo said. 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, a Republican, do not face election this year. McGuinness previously covered the Rhode Island statehouse for the Associated Press and breaking news for the Boston Globe. This is a carousel. "The math is clear, and one plus one equals two, but they're still trying to pin that on us," she said. Harris County Judge candidates: Lina Hidalgo vs Alexandra del Moral Mealer On Twitter Wednesday morning, Hidalgo celebrated her win, tweeting: "Yesterday, the people of Harris County chose optimism over fear & people over politics. . 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. Editor's note: This article has been updated to include responses submitted by Alexandra del Moral Mealer. Commissioner Jack and Janet Cagle, center, at his election night party at Maize's Restaurant in Houston. Editorial: We recommend Alexandra Mealer for Harris County Judge Nov. 10, 2022. March 2022 marks an unusually crowded primary season for Harris County politics, with three Harris County . "She does seem to evoke strong emotions in either party. Updated: . Following a challenging Election Night in Harris County plagued by delays and closings of multiple polling locations, voting tallies showed Hidalgo holding onto an unofficial lead of less than two points over Mealer, a West Point graduate and ex-Army captain. Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo greets her supporters at an primaries election night party at Axelrad Beer Garden, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. Race for Harris County judge still too close to call Published: November 8, 2022, 11:56 AM Updated: November 9, 2022, 1:04 AM Tags: Decision 2022 , Harris County , Voting , Lina Hidalgo . Ariana Garcia joined Chron in 2021. 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. The intense exchange was just one of many instances in which the lieutenant governor has openly rejected Hidalgo. Solis: Redo the primary election in Hidalgo County; tens of thousands Axios on linkedin. Republican Challengers to Lina Hidalgo Spar in Heated Runoff for Harris The court last year redrew both precincts to favor Democrats. HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Democrat Lina Hidalgo has won a second term for Harris County Judge in a close race for the top executive position in the county. Ballotpedia's 2022 elections analysis. Q&A with Lina Hidalgo: Harris County judge discusses pressing issues Sen. Ted Cruz, who endorsed Mealer showed up at Mealer's election watch party. She's facing challengers . I sincerely appreciate your vote of confidence in electing me. WINNERS AND LOSERS: Who won, who lost, who's going to a runoff in primary elections across Houston, rest of Texas. She pointed to a recent city-county gun buyback program and county spending aimed at addressing maternal mortality. They asked the federal government for additional vaccine doses due to rising, but still relatively small, numbers of cases. Poll Watcher's Guide (PDF) Public Information Request (PDF) Election Forms Search Texas Monthly Turnout in the top 10 majority Black ZIP codes was down 15 percent from 2018, for example. I want to thank each & every voter who showed up to make their voice heard this election. Former Army captain Alexandra Del Moral Mealer won her primary in May, securing her as the Republican candidate for Harris County judge against Hidalgo in November. 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 . Those two forces are clashing, according to Nancy Sims, a political analyst and lecturer of political science at the University of Houston. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Democrats also have a 12-point historic edge in Precinct 2, where Garcia's lead over his challenger and predecessor, Morman, had grown to 5 percentage points by 4 a.m. Pct. Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo made passing reference to Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale and other prominent endorsers of her political opponent Alex Mealer during a Wednesday victory speech. Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria said some paper ballots got wrinkled and jammed, but most votes would be counted on time. First elected to the position in 2018 after narrowly defeating her Republican opponent and former Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, Hidalgo is the first woman and Latina to hold the office. "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. Hidalgo, meanwhile, raised about $2.4 million in . During the March primaries, incumbent Lina Hidalgo took a huge lead as the Democratic nominee, but the race seems neck-and-neck against Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer . Sam Gonzlez Kelly is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle. It doesn't need to be that way. On Friday, Hidalgo County Judge Richard . A new poll released by Defend Texas Liberty PAC shows Republican candidate Alex Mealer with a four-point lead over Democrat incumbent Lina Hidalgo in the contentious race for Harris County judge. Her opponent, incumbent county Judge Lina Hidalgo, told ABC13 at the time the numbers were looking better and that Harris County is not alone in battling crime. Minerva Diaz (R) Hidalgo County Commissioner Precinct 4. Democratic incumbent Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer addressed voters in Houston. That's why tonight we are hosting a forum with the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge in the Democratic Party Primary. Surrounded by fellow Democrats, Lina Hidalgo delivered victory remarks and passing jabs at her detractors during a Wednesday afternoon speech following herdefeat of Republican challenger Alex Mealer in Tuesday's Harris County judge election. Incumbents in more high-profile local posts, namely Hidalgo and Garcia, fared better. Harris County judge: Hidalgo wins re-election as Mealer concedes 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. Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo is running for a second term as Harris County Judge. 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. "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. Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez will seek re-election in 2022 Hidalgo cited the two Republicans blockade of a new tax rate as justification, saying they endangered vital county services. Those voters had plenty of reasons for their own enthusiasm, including the implementation of a strict abortion ban by Republicans in Texas, and a relatively competitive gubernatorial contest. Election mishaps and conflicting court rulings introduced a degree of uncertainty about when the results would become official. 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. Texas' 2022 races coming into focus as candidate filings close Dan Patrick, and Texas Comptroller Glen Hegar, particularly with accusations that she was "defunding" the police. Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer concedes, Harris County Judge What does the data say? Her opponent, Republican challenge . 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. . Those showed potentially ominous trends for strongholds in the traditional Democratic coalition. Candidate Information | Hidalgo County, TX - Official Website U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz attends Republican Harris County Judge candidate Alexandra del Moral Mealer watch party at Kirby Ice House on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in Houston. Hobby School Poll: Harris County Judge's Race Too Close to Call For the last couple months, Hidalgo has assailed Mealer for not taking a stance on Texas abortion ban, including through a TV ad that says Mealer is staying silent while womens lives are in danger. In an effort to paint Mealer as a far-right extremist, Hidalgo has accused her of sowing doubt in the election results and being blindly loyal to former president Donald Trump. Another candidate for county judge is McAllen City Commissioner Tania Ramirez. 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. 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. (Jon Shapley, Staff photographer), Bun B, Badu, J.J. Watt celebrate RodeoHouston Southern Takeover, Exclusive: Abbott explains push against diversity hiring programs. ", The Republican newcomer continued: "This campaign was always about good government and I am hopeful that we have played a role encouraging that going forward. Chris Daniel, a former district clerk, ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Lina Hidalgo, Basking in National Praise, Faces a Potential Scandal at Members of her own party also tried to "preserve the status quo," Hidalgo said without naming anyone in particular. LUPE is a 501(c)3 organization Copyright 2023 1601 US-83 BUS, San Juan, TX 78589, Release: Hidalgo County Judge Candidates Will Tackle the Biggest Challenges Facing Colonia, RGV Residents at LUPE Candidate Forum. 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. Marie D. De Jess/Staff photographer . County Judge | Hidalgo County, TX - Official Website Del Moral Mealer is running in the Republican primary for Harris County Judge. Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo is applauded as she arrives at a primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. Hidalgo repeatedly has said the countys main public safety departments the sheriff, constables and district attorney have received funding boosts in each county budget since Democrats took control of Commissioners Court in 2018. Three of her staffers have been indicted by District Attorney Kim Ogg over a controversial COVID-19 outreach contract, an investigation that Hidalgo has decried as a witch-hunt. The Houston Chronicle's editorial board makes an endorsement for the Harris County judge that can be considered crucial in the tight race. Its rattlesnake season in Texas. "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.". New survey looks at voting trends in Harris County Judge race Lina Hidalgo ( Democratic Party) is the Harris County Judge in Texas. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022. Daniel Marichalar (D) Hidalgo County Criminal District Attorney. Where do the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge stand on the biggest challenges facing colonia residents and the Rio Grande Valley? Mealer, who keyed in on violent crime in Harris County, was also favored in donations, outraising Hidalgo by nearly $7 million in campaign contributions thanks in large part to a number of generous GOP donors. TEXAS VOTER GUIDE: The key state and local races that your vote will decide in the November 8 midterm election. Hidalgo has maintained that the scandal was a politically motivated attack and has publicly defended her aides. In the GOP primary for county treasurer, Kyle Scott led Eric Dick. Hidalgo's camp announced that the Democratic judge will make her victory remarks at the office of the Harris County Democratic Party on Wednesday, though they did not confirm when. She has created a political base around her campaign to make her race one of the most important and contested races in the state.. Jack Cagle is running against Democrat Lesley Briones. Saturday, January 1, 2022. "With crime rising, is the focus increasing deputies or is it increasing social workers?" The race for county judge in Harris County is in a statistical dead heat, with Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer leading Democrat Lina Hidalgo by 2% (47% to 45%, with 8% undecided). Throughout her reelection campaign, Hidalgo faced an onslaught of criticism from state Republicans, including Gov. The Houston region's high number of homicides, the state's new abortion ban and a flood of campaign . The GOP race to face Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is getting nasty. 2022 Primary Election | Hidalgo County, TX - Official Website The Early Voting results were reported shortly after the polls closed, Election Day results will be reported, and the remainder of the reconciliation process will continue over the next few days, as we prioritize accuracy over speed, Longorias office said in a statement. That means our county judge must be ready to lead our community through these challenges and toward a thriving future. "My opponent will often say, well, none of these are county issues," Hidalgo said. After briefly looking down and taking a pause, Hidalgo continued: "But y'all, didn't I say it would be a sweet victory?". Norma Ramirez resigns as Hidalgo County Democratic Party chair "We are just getting started.". Hidalgo ( Democratic Party) ran for re-election for Harris County Judge in Texas. Hidalgo-Mealer judge election is a showdown over Harris County Published March 1, 2022. Jan. 31, 2022 Updated: Feb. 1, 2022 7:58 a.m. Facebook Twitter Email Houston business owner Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale has endorsed GOP candidate Alexandra del Moral Mealer for Harris County Judge. Bun B, Badu, J.J. Watt celebrate RodeoHouston Southern Takeover, Exclusive: Abbott explains push against diversity hiring programs. Rest assured that I take, very seriously, the responsibility to serve all of Hidalgo County. The 31-year-old stood in front of supporters applauding and chanting her name at the office of the Harris Democratic Party. Welcome to Hidalgo County! Campaign Finance Reports. Hidalgo County primary election unofficial results New poll shows heated race for Harris County judge is too close to call She enjoys binge-watching anime and films makeup tutorials in her spare time. He joined the Hearst Austin bureau in 2021 after nearly three years as a City Hall reporter for the Chronicle and a prior stint covering Bexar County for the Express-News. We need more vaccine, Turner said. 10:46 AM CDT October 23, 2022 . The Democratic majority tried to draw Cagle, a Republican who has represented Precinct 4 since 2011, out of office when it passed new precinct maps last year. 05/09/2022 01:51 PM EDT. As Hidalgo's woes multiplied in commissioners court, her political opponent continued to rack up high-dollar contributions from well-heeled conservative donors. Lina Hidalgo (@LinaHidalgoTX) November 9, 2022. Hidalgo drew support from 45%. What does the data say? 5 Deputy Corporal Charles Galloway. Offices up for Election in 2022 - Texas Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo high-fives a woman in the front row during an abortion rights rally organized by Beto O'Rourke at Discovery Green on Saturday, May 7, 2022 in Houston. The last-minute celebrity endorsements were one of Hidalgos last campaign moves before the Nov. 8 election. The board praised her plans to combat violent crime in the county and promises to clear a backlog of criminal cases at the courthouse. In the first post-redistricting election members are divided into two classes; one class shall serve a 2-year term and the other class shall serve a 4-year term. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo tries to win re-election but faces a challenge from Republican Alexandra . 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. ", Before closing out her speech, Hidalgo turned attention to any who don't believe she won her reelection fair and square. Harris County judgeLina Hidalgotalks to her supporters at a primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. Texas GOP may censure Tony Gonzales over gay marriage, gun votes, Rep. Joaquin Castro's health plan points to a new Texas trend, Rep. Joaquin Castro diagnosed with cancer, undergoes surgery, Texas House Speaker appoints committee for gun legislation, Santa Fe families still denied video, records from 2018 shooting. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer. Ellie Torres (D) Hidalgo County Constable Precinct 5. Candidates for Harris County judge campaign in Houston 2022 General Election & Local Entities Election | Hidalgo County, TX Lina Hidalgo wins reelection bid for Harris County judge against Democrats thought their 3-2 majority on the Court would make this an easy task and they . Shortly before 5 a.m., the early votes and less than half of the 375 voting centers had been reported. According to a new University of Houston poll, Mealer holds a slight lead with Election Day just two weeks away and early voting already underway. 4 candidate Lesley Briones talks to her supporters at her watch party at Cottonwood on N. Shepherd Tuesday Nov. 08,2022.Also pictured are her daughters Catalina, Ana Lucia and Valentina. Candidates Richard Cortez (incumbent), Norma Ramirez, and Tania Ramirez will each have 30 minutes to discuss their stance on the biggest challenges facing colonia residents and RGV residents. 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. A new study says yes. Hidalgo argued Republicans are forcing the county to scale back other essential services, and as she commented on the impacts to various departments, Mealer supporters rolled their eyes, laser-focused on their candidates goal of hiring more patrol officers. The judge congratulated other candidates who won in Tuesday's election, including Democratic Precinct 2 commissioner Adrian Garcia's victory over his Republican opponent Jack Morman. Elections Lina Hidalgo reelected as Harris County judge . 2022 Updated: 5:24 PM CST November 9, 2022 . FOX 26 Houston. The pressure grew even greater in September after Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey and Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle successfully delayed the county tax rate vote after skipping several meetings.