Alexandra del Moral Mealer and attorney Vidal Martinez were leading the nine-candidate Republican field for the GOPs nomination for county judge. For several election cycles, Houston-area voters have favored Democrats over Republicans. We pride ourselves on doing our best, being responsible with taxpayer . Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer, Gary Fountain/Contributor. She pointed to a recent city-county gun buyback program and county spending aimed at addressing maternal mortality. So, I think it's actually harmful to spend a lot of time talking about issues that aren't in your control," Mealer said. 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. The 31-year-old stood in front of supporters applauding and chanting her name at the office of the Harris Democratic Party. Emmett left office in 2019. He has also reported on local politics for both papers. Editor's Note: Calling all Rio Grande Valley candidates. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, This is what Houston looks like from space. 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. art. March 2022 marks an unusually crowded primary season for Harris County politics, with three Harris County . "The community has a position on these issues, and they want to know their leader's position. After briefly looking down and taking a pause, Hidalgo continued: "But y'all, didn't I say it would be a sweet victory?". "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. 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. Our goal is to provide voters with impeccable, transparent and timely service for a wide variety of county, city, school, state and federal constitutional elections. Help us ask the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge the challenging questions. ELECTION CALENDAR DATES. 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. Cortez, Tania Ramirez, and Norma Ramirez are running in the Democratic Party primary. Mealer said. Ed Emmett (Republican Party) was the Harris County Judge in Texas. Hidalgo County Courthouse 100 North Closner. ), LIVE RESULTS TRACKER: Texas 2022 midterm elections: Live results from Abbott vs. Beto, Hidalgo vs. Mealer and more. 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.. The County Judge is the presiding officer of the county commissioners court and the head of emergency management. Welcome to Hidalgo County! Turnout overall was down 10 percent, but de Leon noted it still marked the second-highest turnout for a midterm election here. As November's general election neared, polling showed Hidalgo was in a tighter race with Mealer than expected, and a startling endorsement from the Houston Chronicle editorial board in favor of her opponent surprised many in Houston. Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo is applauded as she arrives at a primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. Solis, who lives in Palmview, speculated that the lack of polling locations on the west side of Hidalgo County could have been designed to help a certain primary candidate. 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. 10:46 AM CDT October 23, 2022 . Mealer is hoping to kneecap Hidalgos rising political career just four years after the Democrat unseated Republican Ed Emmett in her first-ever run for political office, completing a Democratic takeover of the nations third-largest county. Instead, the ad makes a specific claim about Mealer and a specific policy. 2022 Wave elections; The board praised her plans to combat violent crime in the county and promises to clear a backlog of criminal cases at the courthouse. VIDEO: Lina Hidalgo and Alexandra Mealer debate Harris County budget, crime and policy. Attendees of Republican Harris County Judge candidate Alexandra del Moral Mealer watch as the election results come in on the television during her watch party at Kirby Ice House on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in Houston. Hidalgo also found herself at the center of controversy earlier this year after three of her top aides were indicted by a grand jury. [Tex. I also want to thank Ms. Mealer for a hard-fought campaign & her military service. Campaign Finance Reports. Hidalgo's reelection campaign also suffered a blow following an unexpected endorsement from the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board co-signing Mealer. Lina Hidalgo, a progressive Democrat who leads the county that includes Houston, is facing an unexpectedly serious re-election challenge from a Republican first-time candidate, Alexandra del Moral . Among those trailing are five criminal district court judges: Chuck Silverman, 183rd district court; Abigail Anastasio, 184th; Greg Glass, 208th; and Amy Martin, 263rd. Our nation is too divided right now and it's been divided for too many years," Hidalgo said. 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. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022. A new study says yes. 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. She was previously a political reporter with the Texas Signal. November 8, 2022 (General) Hidalgo. Five lower-ballot Republicans had narrow advantages for criminal or civil court benches, though Democrats were leading in most contests. 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. According to Harris County officials, Patrick told Hidalgo to sit down and shut up multiple times at the funeral. She assumed office on January 1, 2019. Mealer's tough-on-crime campaign also spotlighted these accusations, framing the 31-year-old incumbent as an adversary of local law enforcement. 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. Members of her own party also tried to "preserve the status quo," Hidalgo said without naming anyone in particular. He initially joined the paper through the Hearst Journalism Fellowship program after covering the same beats for the San Antonio Express-News. 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. Daniel Marichalar (D) Hidalgo County Criminal District Attorney. Politics A new poll shows the Harris County Judge's race is neck-and-neck. Mealer is trying to take full advantage, blanketing the airwaves with campaign ads and outspending the incumbent overall. 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. They asked the federal government for additional vaccine doses due to rising, but still relatively small, numbers of cases. In 2022, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo had the odds stacked against her in a challenging campaign year to keep her top position in the county. Please check back later for updates. Early voting in the March primary begins on Valentine's Day. A new study says yes. 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. . Jasper Scherer covers Texas politics and government for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. He grew up in Connecticut, graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, and is a die-hard Red Sox fan. Staff writers Samantha Ketterer, Yilun Cheng and Elizabeth Trovall contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Del Moral Mealer is running in the Republican primary for Harris County Judge. 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). Lina Hidalgo (@LinaHidalgoTX) November 9, 2022. . Elections 2022 Election Guide: Harris County and Texas races to watch . The intense exchange was just one of many instances in which the lieutenant governor has openly rejected Hidalgo. 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. Texas Ethics Commission . . If the unofficial results stand, Democrats would retain and expand control of the county government four years after they won a majority for the first time in decades. The result: Cagles Republican-leaning precinct became a Democratic-leaning one. I am committed to working hard every day . Editor's note: This article has been updated to include responses submitted by Alexandra del Moral Mealer. Jack Cagle is running against Democrat Lesley Briones. 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. "Truth won over lies." Please type your name EXACTLY as it appears on your VOTER REGISTRATION RECORD. 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. HARRIS COUNTY ELECTION UPDATES: Mealer concedes county judge race to Hidalgo. 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. she shouted to roaring applause. Const. Participation among voters with Spanish surnames was down 18 percent. 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. 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! On Friday, Hidalgo County Judge Richard . Following Democrat Lesley Briones' election win against incumbent Jack Cagle for Harris County Precinct 4 commissioner, Hidalgo noted that the Commissioners Court now has three Hispanics and two women. 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. More often, though, her campaign rhetoric has focused on fending off attacks from Mealer and throwing her own punches at the GOP nominee. Republicans and prominent business leaders in Harris County made unseating Hidalgo a priority. Terry Palacios wins Democratic nomination in Hidalgo County district attorney race, unofficial election results show 1 year 13 hours 11 minutes ago Tuesday, March 01 2022 Mar 1, 2022 March 01 . 2022 / 08:13 AM CST . Come find out at a candidate forum hosted by LUPE and LUPE Votes this Friday, February 4th at 5 pm online. "But we earned every vote and not with exaggerations or falsehoods. This is a carousel. Oct 25, 2022 - News. ", 'POLITICS OF PERCEPTION': Hidalgo, Harris County Dems hope for boost from abortion, national trends, but races still competitive over crime, economy. 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. Former Army Capt. In the process, she became a champion to progressives who said that focus helped struggling households that the countys previously limited government left behind. 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. Axios on linkedin. 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. That's why tonight we are hosting a forum with the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge in the Democratic Party Primary. Democratic County Judge Lina Hidalgo beat Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer by more than 18,000 votes. 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. Judge Lina Hidalgo moved the COVID - 19 Threat to Level Orange at Houston Transtar Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Houston. 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. I want to thank each & every voter who showed up to make their voice heard this election. . Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer. Published March 1, 2022. He initially joined the paper through the Hearst Journalism Fellowship program after covering the same beats for the San Antonio Express-News. Edinburg, Texas 78539. EXPLAINER: What you need to know about Lina Hidalgo and Alex Mealer in the race for Harris County judge. 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 . 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. 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. He grew up in Connecticut, graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, and is a die-hard Red Sox fan. . 3 . Lin-Manuel Miranda appeared at a rally Tuesday supporting Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo . Lina Hidalgo, a rising Democratic star, faces a tough reelection race to lead Harris County. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo waits to speak to the media after the Harris County Commissioners Court went into executive session Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in Houston. Candidate for Harris County Judge Alexandra del Moral Mealer poses for a photo Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, at the Houston Chronicle offices in Houston. Jaime E. Galvan 11/8/2022. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Show More Show Less 2 of 2. November 8, 2022 General Election & Local Entities Elections. Hidalgo also faced more specific challenges, including her fundraising disadvantage and a corruption probe. ", Yesterday, the people of Harris County chose optimism over fear & people over politics. Hidalgo has refused campaign contributions from county contractors since the start of her term, aiming to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. Members of Commissioners Court historically have relied heavily on firms that do business with the county to stockpile huge campaign war chests. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. "Because Lina has funded more full-time social workers than she has sheriff deputies.". Poll Watcher's Guide (PDF) Public Information Request (PDF) Election Forms 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 . 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. Since July, Republican donors have poured nearly $9 million into Mealer's bid to unseat Hidalgo a staggering haul for a county judge race. Incumbent US Rep Sylvia Garcia reacts as she watches televised election returns at the Election Night Watch Party hosted by the Harris Co. Democratic Party held at Chapman and Kirby Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in Houston, TX. Previously, she was a community news and breaking news reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. Astros GM Dana Brown the antithesis of his predecessors, Texas wants to ban delta-8, but veterans are pushing back, UH, Texas A&M removing DEI statements from hiring practices, Houston is the most stressful city to work in, says new study, The Breakfast Klub sues prominent City Hall consultant for fraud, Lauren Daigle at Houston Rodeo: 'God always has your number', Galveston gets fourth Carnival Cruise Line. Cagle was unopposed on the Republican side. 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. And the pandemic is deepened inequality and exacerbated existing divisions. 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. Turnout in the top 10 majority Black ZIP codes was down 15 percent from 2018, for example. The balance of the five-member court is at stake in this election, with three incumbents up for re-election in competitive races. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. 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. 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, a Republican, do not face election this year. In her first term in office, Hidalgo has expanded the traditional responsibilities of county government beyond infrastructure, law enforcement and flood control, imagining a broader, more holistic role for the county that includes such things as child care, housing stability and reform-minded criminal justice. . 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, meanwhile, raised about $2.4 million in . Democratic Precinct 2 commissioner Adrian Garcia's, Turner: TEA is giving Houston ISD two optionsclose school or be taken over, Two ocelots were photographed crossing a road in rare South Texas sighting, Houston Rockets poised to reap benefits from Eric Gordon trade, Willie Nelson's new album is a lovely tribute to a fellow country legend, Hiker captures 'once-in-a-lifetime' photo of wildlife at Brazos Bend State Park, Why Johnson City in Texas Hill Country is the new, cooler Fredericksburg. Hidalgo reported having $2 million in her campaign account, giving her a slight edge over Mealers $1.7 million cash on hand. 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. 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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. Monday, February 14, 2022. Tax Rates. Incumbents in more high-profile local posts, namely Hidalgo and Garcia, fared better. Republicans say violent crime is up, Dems say it's down. Ariana Garcia joined Chron in 2021. Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? Moreover, Patrick confronted Hidalgo at the event and accused her of defunding the police despite increasing the law enforcement budget since 2019. 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. According to the County Administrator's office, the county has added 47 deputies and 12 social workers since 2020. Hidalgo drew support from 45%. See also: Municipal elections in Harris County, Texas (2022) General election. Incumbent Democrat Teneshia Hudspeth will face former County Clerk Stan Stanart in the November general election. Despite the odds seemingly piling up against Hidalgo as Election Day approached, the 31-year-old Democrat still managed to come out on top. 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. Oct. 12, 2022 Updated: Oct. 14, 2022 1:37 p.m. For the first time, the two candidates for Harris County judge, incumbent Lina Hidalgo and challenger Alexandra Mealer, sat down . another GOP candidate for county judge, called Hidalgo a "formidable campaigner," adding that progressives see her as a key component to flipping Texas blue. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. "Elections should not be about pitting one group against each other. 05/09/2022 01:51 PM EDT. Marie D. De Jess, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer, Bun B, Badu, J.J. Watt celebrate RodeoHouston Southern Takeover, Exclusive: Abbott explains push against diversity hiring programs. Her opponent, Republican challenge . Republican challenger Alexandra del Moral Mealer has conceded her bid to unseat Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, with unofficial results show her trailing by just shy of 16,000 votes. Lin-Manuel Miranda appeared at a rally Tuesday supporting Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo for reelection. "She does seem to evoke strong emotions in either party. "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. Fellow Democrat Adrian Garcia also secured another term as Precinct 2 commissioner, defeating Republican Jack Morman, who held the seat before Garcia won it four years ago. As many of you know, I am not a stranger to public service. The primary election is March 1, 2022. Attendees reacts as they watch televised election returns from the bar at the Election Night Watch Party hosted by the Harris Co. Democratic Party held at Chapman and Kirby Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in Houston, TX. Another administrative incumbent, Harris County Treasurer Dylan Osborne, appeared headed for defeat as well, trailing challenger Carla Wyatt. 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. STAY IN THE KNOW, by visiting our website in the next couple of days. Friday, November 4, 2022. Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day?
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