With all voting centers reporting, Hidalgo had 546,745 votes (50.74 percent) to Mealer's 530,788 (49.25 percent. A sixth criminal judge, Jason Luong of the 185th district court, also trailed in his election but appeared headed for a runoff. 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. Judge Lina Hidalgo moved the COVID - 19 Threat to Level Orange at Houston Transtar Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Houston. "The math is clear, and one plus one equals two, but they're still trying to pin that on us," she said. As Hidalgo's woes multiplied in commissioners court, her political opponent continued to rack up high-dollar contributions from well-heeled conservative donors. That's why tonight we are hosting a forum with the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge in the Democratic Party Primary. . Members shall draw lots to determine who serves which terms. Hidalgo also found herself at the center of controversy earlier this year after three of her top aides were indicted by a grand jury. Like most other candidates, Mealer is accepting campaign donations from county contractors. The last-minute celebrity endorsements were one of Hidalgos last campaign moves before the Nov. 8 election. Hidalgo's conservative commissioners court colleagues have accused the judge of "defunding the police," a claim she has fiercely denied. After briefly looking down and taking a pause, Hidalgo continued: "But y'all, didn't I say it would be a sweet victory?". 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. art. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer, Gary Fountain/Contributor. We are a membership-based organization and our strength is found in the participation of our over eight thousand members. 2022 Election. Onward! His statement went on to layout the penalty a class B misdemeanor for failing to meet the deadline. Its rattlesnake season in Texas. 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. Rest assured that I take, very seriously, the responsibility to serve all of Hidalgo County. 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. Emmett assumed office in 2007. Hidalgo touts among her . Recent polls reflected the two candidates were in a virtual dead heat, with Mealer up two points over Hidalgo. Across race and background, we are uniting to demand those who govern in our name to provide the things all working people need: Education that teaches us about our past while preparing us for the future. Hidalgo also faced more specific challenges, including her fundraising disadvantage and a corruption probe. Published March 1, 2022. Texas Ethics Commission . Her current term ends on December 31, 2026. He initially joined the paper through the Hearst Journalism Fellowship program after covering the same beats for the San Antonio Express-News. Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. 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). 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. 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. Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo talks to her supporters at an primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. (Photo: Lina Hidalgo campaign) HOUSTON - Less than an hour after the polls closed for the 2022 Texas Primary Election Tuesday, Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo took the lead ahead of all other candidates for Harris County Judge. 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. 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. "No one really knows what the county judge does. FOX 26 Houston. 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 . 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. Incumbent Democrat Teneshia Hudspeth will face former County Clerk Stan Stanart in the November general election. 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 . Quick Links. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, right, speaks about the expansion of the county's Jail-Based Competency Restoration program at the Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD on Feb. 9, 2023 . 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. Moreover, Patrick confronted Hidalgo at the event and accused her of defunding the police despite increasing the law enforcement budget since 2019. VIDEO: Lina Hidalgo and Alexandra Mealer debate Harris County budget, crime and policy. . They asked the federal government for additional vaccine doses due to rising, but still relatively small, numbers of cases. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton challenged it after Rogers' ruling, prompting the intervention by the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court. 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. Cortez, Tania Ramirez, and Norma Ramirez are running in the Democratic Party primary. 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. Alexandra del Moral Mealer, the Republican nominee for Harris County judge, speaking at the press conference at the Harris County DeputiesOrganization in Houston. Climate damage has fueled storms that flood our region. This is a developing story. Along her campaign trail, Hidalgo amassed the support of celebrities like Hamilton playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, Chicago rapper and actor Common, and actress Jane Fonda, who block-walked with her in Houston last month. 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. Martin trailed by a small margin, while the rest trailed by larger amounts. According to Harris County officials, Patrick told Hidalgo to sit down and shut up multiple times at the funeral. 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. ", 'POLITICS OF PERCEPTION': Hidalgo, Harris County Dems hope for boost from abortion, national trends, but races still competitive over crime, economy. "Right now the county judge race is in a . Come find out at a candidate forum hosted by LUPE and LUPE Votes this Friday, February 4th at 5 pm online. They answered questions from the . 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. 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. Her opponent, Republican challenge . In April, three Hidalgo staff members, including her chief of staff, were indicted for misuse of official information and tampering with government evidence. Registered Voters as of February 27, 2023 Total 412,899. In an interview, Mealer acknowledged Trump lost the 2020 election and said that, barring any obvious evidence of impropriety, she would accept the results in November if she loses. We'll ask them about immigration and the border, climate-fueled flooding, broadband internet, and more. Hidalgo argues the county judge still can play a role on issues on which the county lacks direct oversight, such as gun control and abortion. McGuinness previously covered the Rhode Island statehouse for the Associated Press and breaking news for the Boston Globe. BY THE NUMBERS: 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. We pride ourselves on doing our best, being responsible with taxpayer . "Hidalgo continues to be the front-runner, primarily because of the makeup of Harris County in terms of partisanship," Cross said. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your County Judge. Democratic Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, left, is facing a challenge from Republican Alexandra Moral del Mealer. 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. 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 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. Mealer concedes to Hidalgo in Harris County judge race, Democrats likely to expand majority, Timeline: How battle between Houston ISD, TEA has reached the point of a looming takeover. For the first time, the two candidates for Harris County judge, incumbent Lina Hidalgo and challenger Alexandra Mealer, sat down face-to-face. 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. Democratic incumbent Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer addressed voters in Houston. 2022 / 08:13 AM CST . 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 County judge, she oversees an annual budget of $4.3 billion with four other County commissioners (who all happen to be men). Democratic incumbent Judge Lina Hidalgo will serve another term as county judge for Texas' most populous county after . 2022 Candidate's Guide - Running for State, District or County Office; 2020 Candidate's Guide - Running for Federal, State, District or County offices. Updated: . Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is applauded as she arrives to a primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. the Hidalgo County health authority, announced he was passing on a campaign for the seat, saying he could . Brioness lead over Cagle came in part by design. 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. As many of you know, I am not a stranger to public service. 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. I also want to thank Ms. Mealer for a hard-fought campaign & her military service. Editor's note: This article has been updated to include responses submitted by Alexandra del Moral Mealer. Its rattlesnake season in Texas. 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. 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. This is a carousel. Despite the odds seemingly piling up against Hidalgo as Election Day approached, the 31-year-old Democrat still managed to come out on top. 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. Dan Patrick, and Texas Comptroller Glen Hegar, particularly with accusations that she was "defunding" the police. 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, a Republican, do not face election this year. Republican challenger Alexandra del Moral Mealer has conceded her bid to unseat Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, with unofficial results show her trailing by . 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. 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. Hidalgo, meanwhile, raised about $2.4 million in . The court last year redrew both precincts to favor Democrats. "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. WINNERS AND LOSERS: Who won and who lost in the 2022 midterm elections across Houston and rest of Texas? Updated: Jun 18, 2021 / 01:46 PM CDT. 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. The 31-year-old stood in front of supporters applauding and chanting her name at the office of the Harris Democratic Party. Mealer is trying to take full advantage, blanketing the airwaves with campaign ads and outspending the incumbent overall. . 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. Particularly among the Democrats, she remains very popular.". Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo tries to win re-election but faces a challenge from Republican Alexandra . Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo is running for a second term as Harris County Judge. . "They do that to get you talking about everything but Harris County. 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. ", 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. That's because Harris County District Court Judge Dawn Rogers prompted by a lawsuit alleging that some people were denied election access because of poor planning that led to late opening times at some voting centers signed an order on Tuesday evening keeping all polling places open one hour later, until 8 p.m., only to have the Texas Supreme Court stay her order in the evening. Vendor Portal . The trend began around the start of the pandemic in 2020, when murders surged by more than 40 percent in the county, including Houston and the other incorporated cities. Tax Rates. Hidalgo County Elections Department administers the polling locations in the early voting period. From attacks by Texas Republicans, charges filed . Hidalgo cited the two Republicans blockade of a new tax rate as justification, saying they endangered vital county services. A look back at Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's biggest moments of 2022. Another administrative incumbent, Harris County Treasurer Dylan Osborne, appeared headed for defeat as well, trailing challenger Carla Wyatt. Monday, January 31, 2022. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, This is what Houston looks like from space. The County Judge is the presiding officer of the county commissioners court and the head of emergency management. Sen. Ted Cruz, who endorsed Mealer showed up at Mealer's election watch party. 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. Turnout overall was down 10 percent, but de Leon noted it still marked the second-highest turnout for a midterm election here. 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. McGuinness previously covered the Rhode Island statehouse for the Associated Press and breaking news for the Boston Globe. The result could be a 4-1 Democratic powerhouse, the same 3-2 divide or a shift back to a Republican-controlled court. From attacks by Texas Republicans, charges filed against her staff, a well-funded campaign against her and Commissioner Court drama, Hidalgo still finished the year with a win to keep her seat as top county official for the next four years. . By the time candidates began announcing for the 2022 Texas primaries in mid-November, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, chief executive of the county that includes Houston, seemed to have safely . Hidalgo has touted her record steering the county through several major emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic and last years winter storm, and establishing programs focused on early childhood education, pandemic recovery and environmental health and monitoring. While Commissioners Court and the county judge have little practical authority over abortion policy, Hidalgo has argued the court plays a role through its oversight of the county hospital system, which provides reproductive care to residents.
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