The balance of the five-member court is at stake in this election, with three incumbents up for re-election in competitive races. He initially joined the paper through the Hearst Journalism Fellowship program after covering the same beats for the San Antonio Express-News. Hidalgo County Courthouse 100 North Closner. Its rattlesnake season in Texas. Their Republican opponents will need runoffs to determine winners. . I also want to thank Ms. Mealer for a hard-fought campaign & her military service. Lawyers for the aides have maintained their innocence. A new study says yes. 2022 Candidate's Guide - Running for State, District or County Office; 2020 Candidate's Guide - Running for Federal, State, District or County offices. Democratic Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, left, is facing a challenge from Republican Alexandra Moral del Mealer. Jay R. Jordan; Axios on facebook. Editor's note: This article has been updated to include responses submitted by Alexandra del Moral Mealer. Brioness lead over Cagle came in part by design. Dylan McGuinness covers City Hall and local politics for the Houston Chronicle. 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. We'll ask them about immigration and the border, climate-fueled flooding, broadband internet, and more. As many of you know, I am not a stranger to public service. Incumbent Democrat Teneshia Hudspeth will face former County Clerk Stan Stanart in the November general election. Mealer is trying to take full advantage, blanketing the airwaves with campaign ads and outspending the incumbent overall. In Precinct 2, former commissioner Jack Morman and Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton led three other candidates. With all voting centers reporting, Hidalgo had 546,745 votes (50.74 percent) to Mealer's 530,788 (49.25 percent. 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.. 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. "They do that to get you talking about everything but Harris County. 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.. She enjoys traveling and reading romance novels. 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This Houston rodeo food vendor wants you to eat his rattlesnake, Astros GM Dana Brown has more praise team's top prospect, Heres how you can watch 'Daisy Jones and the Six', Proposed Texas bill gives tax cuts to heterosexual families only, These bites won big at the Houston rodeo's foodie awards. 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. 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. 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. November 8, 2022 General Election & Local Entities Elections. Against the newcomer, Hidalgo's campaign appeared unworried about Mealer's prospects and trusted voters would secure her position again. She had poured nearly $1.9 million of her campaign funds into TV ads as of last week, nearly a 3-to-1 advantage over Hidalgo, according to data from the media-tracking firm AdImpact. In the week leading up to Election Day, First Lady Jill Biden, Hamilton Broadway star Lin Manuel-Miranda and rapper Common stumped for Hidalgo and encouraged voters to cast their ballots for Democratic candidates. ", "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. Elections Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo throws shade at Mattress Mack, local leaders during victory speech. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer. 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. He grew up in Connecticut, graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, and is a die-hard Red Sox fan. Our nation is too divided right now and it's been divided for too many years," Hidalgo said. November 8, 2022 (General) Hidalgo. Hidalgo's reelection campaign also suffered a blow following an unexpected endorsement from the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board co-signing Mealer. "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.". Code 7.104] 2 All State Senate seats are up for election in 2022 following redistricting in 2021. The local Democratic Party administers the polling locations on Election Day. Many pundits have said these races are too close to call, and early vote returns reflect that these races are tight, Sims said. Tax Rates. 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. TEXAS VOTER GUIDE: The key state and local races that your vote will decide in the November 8 midterm election. If you are running in the March 2022 primaries, we want to hear from you. Is Whataburger healthy? 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! Who won and who lost in the 2022 midterm elections across Houston and rest of Texas? 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. 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. 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. This 10 percentage point lead by . 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HARRIS COUNTY ELECTION UPDATES: Mealer concedes county judge race to Hidalgo. Ed Emmett (Republican Party) was the Harris County Judge in Texas. Judge Lina Hidalgo moved the COVID - 19 Threat to Level Orange at Houston Transtar Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Houston. In her victory speech, Hidalgo criticized local figures who contributed to her opponent, throwing shade at Mattress Mack, who notably did not take kindly to the judge referring to him as a "furniture salesman." Hidalgo has scoffed at Mealers police hiring pledge, pointing to the countys more than 400 unfilled law enforcement positions. Oct. 12, 2022. "To the naysayers who think I'll be intimidated by conspiracy theories or by bullying or by political prosecutionsbring it on!" I am committed to working hard every day . 2022 Updated: 5:24 PM CST November 9, 2022 . 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. He said they were watching growing caseloads in other major American cities. Elections Lina Hidalgo reelected as Harris County judge . McGuinness previously covered the Rhode Island statehouse for the Associated Press and breaking news for the Boston Globe. 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 . She beat Emmett by just over 19,000 votes, out of 1.1 million cast in the race, and 86 percent of her votes came from Democrats who cast straight-ticket ballots, a practice the Texas Legislature since has ended. Ellie Torres (D) Hidalgo County Constable Precinct 5. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. For any questions regarding your voter information please call the Hidalgo County's Elections Department at (956) 318-2570. . 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. 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. She pointed to a recent city-county gun buyback program and county spending aimed at addressing maternal mortality. 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 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. 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. Another administrative incumbent, Harris County Treasurer Dylan Osborne, appeared headed for defeat as well, trailing challenger Carla Wyatt. Please check back later for updates. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Jasper Scherer covers Texas politics and government for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. 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. Participation among voters with Spanish surnames was down 18 percent. I am extremely grateful to our supporters and all those who contributed to this campaign. ", Yesterday, the people of Harris County chose optimism over fear & people over politics. Moreover, Patrick confronted Hidalgo at the event and accused her of defunding the police despite increasing the law enforcement budget since 2019. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office at (956)318-2570. Onward! Published March 1, 2022. 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'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. 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. Now, emboldened by a combination of factors the felony indictment of three Hidalgo aides, a sharp rise in homicides mirroring a trend across the country, and favorable national conditions Harris County Republicans have rallied behind Mealer as perhaps their best shot to reverse their recent struggles. Meanwhile, across town at the Kirby Ice House, Mealer said the close margins show voters are paying attention. 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. Cortez, Tania Ramirez, and Norma Ramirez are running in the Democratic Party primary. Jen Rice is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle covering Harris County government. Brandon Waltens | October 4, 2022. Power-hungry politicians use our home to scapegoat immigrants, divide citizens and enrich wealthy special interests. ", Thank you to all those who supported our campaign for good governance pic.twitter.com/ZnjLvtQVTO. I also want to thank Ms. Mealer for a hard-fought campaign & her military service. Recent polls reflected the two candidates were in a virtual dead heat, with Mealer up two points over Hidalgo. 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. 1 of 11 Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo greets her supporters at a primaries election night party at Axelrad Beer Garden, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. Particularly among the Democrats, she remains very popular.". 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. Democratic incumbent Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer addressed voters in Houston. Her opponent, Republican challenge . Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo hugs U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia after being reelected for a second term on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022 in Houston. Texas 2022 Elections Texas' 2022 races coming into focus as candidate filings close. 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. We pride ourselves on doing our best, being responsible with taxpayer . Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton challenged it after Rogers' ruling, prompting the intervention by the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court. Alexandra del Moral Mealer, the Republican nominee for Harris County judge, speaking at the press conference at the Harris County DeputiesOrganization in Houston. 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. 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. ), LIVE RESULTS TRACKER: Texas 2022 midterm elections: Live results from Abbott vs. Beto, Hidalgo vs. Mealer 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. "Truth won over lies." She assumed office on January 1, 2019. 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. . Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo during a COVID-19 press conference in July 2021. "With crime rising, is the focus increasing deputies or is it increasing social workers?" Alexandra Mealer is a tenacious campaigner, said Jessica Coln, a Houston-based Republican strategist who is uninvolved in the race. Sort of. We need more vaccine, Turner said. "That is a key priority," Hidalgo said. Employees Only. What does the data say? 2023 Commissioner's Court Meetings Calendar. During her campaign, Hidalgo said she was also subjected to smears, attacks, and the "dirtiest political tricks" from statewide leaders like Gov. Previously, she was a community news and breaking news reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. Emmett left office in 2019. 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. 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. This is due to Hidalgo facing scrutiny over allegations of not doing enough to combat a rise in crime and an ongoing lawsuit over an $11 million COVID-19 outreach . 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. BY THE NUMBERS: Republicans say violent crime is up, Dems say it's down. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's political future is on the line for 2022. 2022 Wave elections; Hidalgo drew support from 45%. Dan Patrick, as well as her fellow commissioners Jack Cagle and Tom Ramsey. Edinburg, Texas 78539. 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. Hidalgo's staffers being charged in 2022 with helping . Saturday, January 1, 2022. Quick Links. Monday, January 31, 2022. . 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. 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. LUPE was founded in 1989 by farmworker and civil rights leaders . The Houston Chronicle's editorial board makes an endorsement for the Harris County judge that can be considered crucial in the tight race. Bun B, Badu, J.J. Watt celebrate RodeoHouston Southern Takeover, Exclusive: Abbott explains push against diversity hiring programs. Another candidate for county judge is McAllen City Commissioner Tania Ramirez. Alexandra del Moral Mealer and attorney Vidal Martinez were leading the nine-candidate Republican field for the GOPs nomination for county judge. 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. 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). . 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. She says her plan to hire 1,000 additional officers could be covered, at least in part, by cutting county administrative staff, though she has not revealed specific funding plans or committed to any cuts to core services. "The community has a position on these issues, and they want to know their leader's position. 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. Commissioner Jack and Janet Cagle, center, at his election night party at Maize's Restaurant in Houston. 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. Axios on twitter. LIVE UPDATES: 2022 Texas Primary Election Results. Her reporting has aired nationally on NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Here & Now. Elections Harris County election results 2022: County judge, commissioners, propositions. 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. Harris County Commissioner Pct. 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, a Democrat, and Pct. As Hidalgo's woes multiplied in commissioners court, her political opponent continued to rack up high-dollar contributions from well-heeled conservative donors. 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. A poll from the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston, released Monday on the first day of early voting, found 47% of likely Harris County voters say they will support Mealer, a political newcomer running for Harris County judge. Hidalgo's ethics argument also been blunted by the felony indictment of three current and former aides on charges of misuse of official information and tampering. . She's challenging Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo to become the chief executive over county government and head of the Commissioners Court. Oct 25, 2022 - News. 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. . That's why tonight we are hosting a forum with the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge in the Democratic Party Primary. 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). 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. The Houston region's high number of homicides, the state's new abortion ban and a flood of campaign . Axios on linkedin. "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. Lina Hidalgo (@LinaHidalgoTX) November 9, 2022. . Two candidates are vying for the position of Harris County judge in the upcoming Nov. 8 election with Republican candidate Alexandra del Moral Mealer challenging the incumbent Democratic judge . 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. 2022 / 08:13 AM CST . Republican challenger Alexandra del Moral Mealer has conceded her bid to unseat Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, with unofficial results show her trailing by . Lin-Manuel Miranda appeared at a rally Tuesday supporting Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo . 5 Deputy Corporal Charles Galloway. 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. Despite the odds seemingly piling up against Hidalgo as Election Day approached, the 31-year-old Democrat still managed to come out on top. Incumbent Cagle lost his bid for reelection as Harris County Precinct 4 commissioner against Democratic challenger Lesley Briones, a civil court judge. Throughout her reelection campaign, Hidalgo faced an onslaught of criticism from state Republicans, including Gov. 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. Hidalgo reported having $2 million in her campaign account, giving her a slight edge over Mealers $1.7 million cash on hand. Cagle was unopposed on the Republican side. First Day to Apply for a Ballot by Mail. Her biggest donor was Richard Weekley, a Houston-based developer and megadonor who contributed $400,000 to Mealers campaign. LUPE was founded in 1989 by farmworker and civil rights leaders Cesar E. Chavez and Dolores Huerta. ", 'POLITICS OF PERCEPTION': Hidalgo, Harris County Dems hope for boost from abortion, national trends, but races still competitive over crime, economy. 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. Del Moral Mealer is running in the Republican primary for Harris County Judge. Ballotpedia's 2022 elections analysis. . A sixth criminal judge, Jason Luong of the 185th district court, also trailed in his election but appeared headed for a runoff. That fundraising ability allowed Mealer to distribute TV ads hammering home her message that crime is out of control and Hidalgo is to blame.