For the latest and best fromChron,sign up for our daily newsletter here. Registered Voters as of February 27, 2023 Total 412,899. BY THE NUMBERS: Republicans say violent crime is up, Dems say it's down. 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. Jay R. Jordan; Axios on facebook. ", "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. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer. 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. Their Republican opponents will need runoffs to determine winners. 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. Texas 2022 elections: Who won, who lost Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo won reelection after a close race against well-funded opponent Alexandra del Moral Mealer. 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. Candidate Information Texas Secretary of State. . We need more vaccine, Turner said. "Right now the county judge race is in a . Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is applauded as she arrives to a primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. 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. Another candidate for county judge is McAllen City Commissioner Tania Ramirez. And the pandemic is deepened inequality and exacerbated existing divisions. 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. art. Cagle was unopposed on the Republican side. Edinburg, Texas 78539. Five lower-ballot Republicans had narrow advantages for criminal or civil court benches, though Democrats were leading in most contests. The poll released by the UH Hobby School of Public Affairs shows Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo at 48% among likely . Commissioner Jack and Janet Cagle, center, at his election night party at Maize's Restaurant in Houston. 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. Axios on linkedin. But that hasn't stopped RGV residents from working together for the things we all need to thrive. The Houston region's high number of homicides, the state's new abortion ban and a flood of campaign . WHEN: Friday, Feb 4th, 2022, at 5 pm ### LUPE is a nonprofit organization that helps the community organize for and win a better quality of life. 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. Nov. 10, 2022. Democrat Lina Hidalgo has secured a second term as Harris County Judge, defeating her Republican challenger Alex Mealer in a highly contested race for the head of the county's governing body. Martin trailed by a small margin, while the rest trailed by larger amounts. A native Houstonian, Jen graduated from Barnard College at Columbia University and earned a master's degree from University of Texas at Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs. We earned them with hard work and with results over the past four years.". piling up against Hidalgo as Election Day approached, campaign contributions thanks in large part to a number of generous GOP donors, three of her top aides were indicted by a grand jury. ", 'POLITICS OF PERCEPTION': Hidalgo, Harris County Dems hope for boost from abortion, national trends, but races still competitive over crime, economy. Jack Cagle is running against Democrat Lesley Briones. ", Thank you to all those who supported our campaign for good governance pic.twitter.com/ZnjLvtQVTO. "The math is clear, and one plus one equals two, but they're still trying to pin that on us," she said. The Houston Chronicle's editorial board makes an endorsement for the Harris County judge that can be considered crucial in the tight race. Before coming to the Chronicle, Jen spent three years covering City Hall for Houston's NPR station. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. defeat of Republican challenger Alex Mealer in Tuesday's Harris County judge election. 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. I am extremely grateful to our supporters and all those who contributed to this campaign. . HARRIS COUNTY ELECTION UPDATES: Mealer concedes county judge race to Hidalgo. Hidalgo's slight edge over Mealer emerged with the results of early and absentee voting, and remained largely the same as the county's tallying process dragged on into the morning. 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. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022. "No one really knows what the county judge does. Recent polls reflected the two candidates were in a virtual dead heat, with Mealer up two points over Hidalgo. I also want to thank Ms. Mealer for a hard-fought campaign & her military service. Lina Hidalgo reelected as Harris County judge. Members shall draw lots to determine who serves which terms. 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. The ongoing political showdown over the county's annual budget process has pitted the Mealer and Hidalgo camps firmly against one another, offering voters a clear view of the candidates different visions for the role Harris County government should play. Q&A with Harris County judge candidate Alexandra Mealer. March 2022 marks an unusually crowded primary season for Harris County politics, with three Harris County . First Day of Early Voting. Judges at the courthouse quickly encountered trouble in those unofficial returns. Previously, she was a community news and breaking news reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. The result: Cagles Republican-leaning precinct became a Democratic-leaning one. The GOP race to face Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is getting nasty. She has created a political base around her campaign to make her race one of the most important and contested races in the state.. Houston still trails well behind other big cities around the country, many of which experienced a sharper rise in violent crime. 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 talks to supporters during her watch party at Kirby Ice House on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in Houston. 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. Democrats on Tuesday generally faced a hostile climate, with President Joe Bidens lagging approval numbers, the uptick in crime and rising inflation all dragging on their enthusiasm. They answered questions from the . . EXPLAINER: What you need to know about Lina Hidalgo and Alex Mealer in the race for Harris County judge. Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo greets her supporters at a primaries election night party at Axelrad Beer Garden, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. Democrats appear headed for victory in the unofficial results of two commissioner contests as well, showings that could expand their majority on Commissioners Court to a 4-1 split. She assumed office on January 1, 2019. IN THIS EPISODE: Alexandra Del Moral Mealer, the GOP Candidate running for Harris County Judge, talks about what led to her jump on the campaign trail with a goal to unseat incumbent candidate . In the Precinct 4 Commissioner's race, Lesley Briones, the Democratic challenger to Republican incumbent Jack Cagle, had 121,391 votes (51.62 percent) to Cagle's 113,774 (48.38 percent). Hidalgo has held the position since defeating then-incumbent and longtime County . As Hidalgo's woes multiplied in commissioners court, her political opponent continued to rack up high-dollar contributions from well-heeled conservative donors. 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. Employees Only. 2022 Election. In February, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick criticized Hidalgo for where she decided to stand at the memorial service of slain Harris County Pct. She was previously a political reporter with the Texas Signal. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your County Judge. Hidalgo County Courthouse 100 North Closner. MLB legend makes surprise appearance at Astros' Spring Training, Houston is ugly, and I've never felt more at home, Texas A&M upset win clears path for UH to snag top overall seed, Oops! 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. Incumbent Judge Lina Hidalgo is running for re-election after securing a historic - and surprising - win in 2018. I also want to thank Ms. Mealer for a hard-fought campaign & her military service. "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.". He initially joined the paper through the Hearst Journalism Fellowship program after covering the same beats for the San Antonio Express-News. The spotlight also fueled speculation she could someday run for larger office, both of which made her a primary target for both local and statewide conservatives. Despite seeing a barrage of criticisms . Don't elect their candidate for County Judge" or something and avoided a poor fact checking result. The poll, which surveyed nearly 1,000 likely election voters, has Mealer leading 48 percent to Hidalgo's 44 percent. 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. 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. Emmett assumed office in 2007. 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. Daniel Marichalar (D) Hidalgo County Criminal District Attorney. 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 . Harris County commissioner candidate Lesley Briones introduces gubernatorial candidate Beto ORourke during a rally outside of the West Gray Recreational Area on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in Houston. Violent crime in Harris County has become a key issue in the race for County Judge, with one of the candidates unveiling a law enforcement plan in an effort to curb . Hidalgo took . Hidalgo has scoffed at Mealers police hiring pledge, pointing to the countys more than 400 unfilled law enforcement positions. 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. 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. The balance of the five-member court is at stake in this election, with three incumbents up for re-election in competitive races. Hidalgos Republican opponent, Alexandra del Moral Mealer raised 4x the amount of fundraising money in her bid. The 31-year-old stood in front of supporters applauding and chanting her name at the office of the Harris Democratic Party. 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. Minerva Diaz (R) Hidalgo County Commissioner Precinct 4. Dan Patrick, as well as her fellow commissioners Jack Cagle and Tom Ramsey. Code 7.104] 2 All State Senate seats are up for election in 2022 following redistricting in 2021. The County Judge is the presiding officer of the county commissioners court and the head of emergency management. A new study says yes. In the process, she became a champion to progressives who said that focus helped struggling households that the countys previously limited government left behind. Particularly among the Democrats, she remains very popular.". I sincerely appreciate your vote of confidence in electing me. Texas 2022 Elections Texas' 2022 races coming into focus as candidate filings close. Democratic Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, left, is facing a challenge from Republican Alexandra Moral del Mealer. This is a developing story. In the four years since her upset victory thrust her into office as a 27-year-old newcomer, Hidalgo has reimagined the boundaries of county government, reaching beyond its traditional focus on public safety and flood control to also address such issues as childhood development, immigration and environmental control. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office at (956)318-2570. 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. 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. Hidalgo's conservative commissioners court colleagues have accused the judge of "defunding the police," a claim she has fiercely denied. 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. . The indictment, filed by Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, centered around the awarding of an $11 million county contract to Elevate Strategies, a local Houston company whose founder Felicity Pereyra had previously worked on Democratic campaigns. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Show More Show Less 2 of 2. Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia, a Democrat, held a wider lead: 105,653 votes (52.56 percent) to Republican Jack Morman's 95,363 (47.44 percent), according to the unofficial vote count. See also: Municipal elections in Harris County, Texas (2022) General election. With all voting centers reporting, Hidalgo had 546,745 votes (50.74 percent) to Mealer's 530,788 (49.25 percent. She pointed to a recent city-county gun buyback program and county spending aimed at addressing maternal mortality. Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo is running for a second term as Harris County Judge. That is not guaranteed, though, given the narrow nature of their leads and the in-limbo status of the set-aside ballots. WHAT: Candidate Forum for Hidalgo County Judge in the Democratic Party Primary, Candidates: Richard Cortez (incumbent), Norma Ramirez, Tania Ramirez, Sponsors: La Unin del Pueblo Entero and LUPE Votes. (Steve Gonzales, Staff photographer) / Hidalgo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner before they gave a joint press conference about growing Monkeypox infections in July 2022. 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. Emmett (Republican Party) . She has evolved into a savvy, hard-nosed, driven candidate, and she has been incredibly successful in raising the funds necessary to compete with Lina Hidalgo. 2022 Wave elections; A first-time political candidate, Mealer ran a tough on crime campaign against the Democratic incumbent, criticizing Hidalgo for the countys crime rate and stumping on issues of public safety. Among those trailing are five criminal district court judges: Chuck Silverman, 183rd district court; Abigail Anastasio, 184th; Greg Glass, 208th; and Amy Martin, 263rd. Ellie Torres (D) Hidalgo County Constable Precinct 5. The county judge race is expected to be close, though Hidalgo still has an edge over her opponent due to the countys leftward tilt, according to Rene Cross, the executive director of the University of Houstons Hobby School of Public Affairs. Turnout in the top 10 majority Black ZIP codes was down 15 percent from 2018, for example. Democratic County Judge Lina Hidalgo beat Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer by more than 18,000 votes. Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Received, not Postmarked) Friday, February 18, 2022. TEXAS VOTER GUIDE: The key state and local races that your vote will decide in the November 8 midterm election. LUPE was founded in 1989 by farmworker and civil rights leaders . Join us on Facebook Live and YouTube Live tonight, Friday, February 4th at 5 pm. I want to thank each & every voter who showed up to make their voice heard this election. Our office stands ready to assist Harris County election officials, and all county election officials throughout the state, in complying with Texas Election Code requirements for accurately tabulating and reporting Primary Election results, Scott said. LIVE UPDATES: 2022 Texas Primary Election Results. Lin-Manuel Miranda appeared at a rally Tuesday supporting Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo . 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. 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). That means all votes cast between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. are being set aside until the high court decides whether they're legitimate and can be counted. Hidalgo drew support from 45%. 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. 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. Hidalgo's staffers being charged in 2022 with helping . 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. ELECTION CALENDAR DATES. Members of her own party also tried to "preserve the status quo," Hidalgo said without naming anyone in particular. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo greets her supporters at an primaries election night party at Axelrad Beer Garden, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. WINNERS AND LOSERS: Who won and who lost in the 2022 midterm elections across Houston and rest of Texas? Climate damage has fueled storms that flood our region. The primary election is March 1, 2022. Hidalgo ( Democratic Party) ran for re-election for Harris County Judge in Texas. Alexandra Mealer is a tenacious campaigner, said Jessica Coln, a Houston-based Republican strategist who is uninvolved in the race. 2022 Updated: 5:24 PM CST November 9, 2022 . 05/09/2022 01:51 PM EDT. Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? Hidalgo-Mealer county judge race is a showdown over Harris County budget and its role in voters' eyes, Timeline: How battle between Houston ISD, TEA has reached the point of a looming takeover. 2022 / 08:13 AM CST . 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. The Editorial Board. 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, a Democrat, and Pct. It all started with a viral video by the National Fraternal Order of Police denouncing where Hidalgo stood on the stage particularly close to the family and their elected officials to honor the fallen officer. Another well-to-do donor on the list of Mealer supporters is beloved Houston Gallery Furniture salesman Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale, who cut televised endorsements for Hidalgo's challenger and would go on to publicly tussle with the judge after her campaign's end.
