Members of her own party also tried to "preserve the status quo," Hidalgo said without naming anyone in particular. Don't elect their candidate for County Judge" or something and avoided a poor fact checking result. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is applauded as she arrives to a primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. "She does seem to evoke strong emotions in either party. 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. Hidalgo County Clerk. Is Whataburger healthy? Bun B, Badu, J.J. Watt celebrate RodeoHouston Southern Takeover, Exclusive: Abbott explains push against diversity hiring programs. 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. 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. "To the extent we work on these issues that affect us all, all of us will do better. That means our county judge must be ready to lead our community through these challenges and toward a thriving future. 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. defeat of Republican challenger Alex Mealer in Tuesday's Harris County judge election. 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. According to Harris County officials, Patrick told Hidalgo to sit down and shut up multiple times at the funeral. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer. 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. 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 . 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. Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo greets her supporters at an primaries election night party at Axelrad Beer Garden, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. First Day of Early Voting. 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. WINNERS AND LOSERS: Who won and who lost in the 2022 midterm elections across Houston and rest of Texas? He has also reported on local politics for both papers. And there is something for us to do. Lawyers for the aides have maintained their innocence. 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. Texas Ethics Commission . 5 Deputy Corporal Charles Galloway. 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. Judges at the courthouse quickly encountered trouble in those unofficial returns. 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. BY THE NUMBERS: Republicans say violent crime is up, Dems say it's down. . You can't just look the other way on so many issues.". Candidate Information Texas Secretary of State. Democratic County Judge Lina Hidalgo beat Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer by more than 18,000 votes. A new study says yes. The Editorial Board. Hidalgo's staffers being charged in 2022 with helping . The Houston region's high number of homicides, the state's new abortion ban and a flood of campaign . 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 . Our nation is too divided right now and it's been divided for too many years," Hidalgo said. 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. Particularly among the Democrats, she remains very popular.". This is a developing story. 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. 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. Alexandra del Moral Mealer, the Republican candidate for Harris County Judge, chats with attendees and other candidates running for difference offices during a meet and greet hosted by Magic Circle Republican Women, Log Cabin Republicans of Houston and the Houston Young Republicans in the Heights on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Lin-Manuel Miranda appeared at a rally Tuesday supporting Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo for reelection. So, I think it's actually harmful to spend a lot of time talking about issues that aren't in your control," Mealer said. Hidalgo County residents and colonia residents in particular are on the frontlines of the biggest challenges facing the nation and the world. A native of San Francisco, he graduated from Northwestern University in 2017 with degrees in journalism and political science, and has interned for the Tampa Bay Times, Washington Post and Fortune magazine. [Tex. 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. 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. He grew up in Connecticut, graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, and is a die-hard Red Sox fan. With all voting centers reporting, Hidalgo had 546,745 votes (50.74 percent) to Mealer's 530,788 (49.25 percent. TEXAS VOTER GUIDE: The key state and local races that your vote will decide in the November 8 midterm election. Those showed potentially ominous trends for strongholds in the traditional Democratic coalition. What does the data say? Before coming to the Chronicle, Jen spent three years covering City Hall for Houston's NPR station. LIVE UPDATES: 2022 Texas Primary Election Results. She's facing challengers . Judge Lina Hidalgo moved the COVID - 19 Threat to Level Orange at Houston Transtar Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Houston. We pride ourselves on doing our best, being responsible with taxpayer . 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. "Truth won over lies." . Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo during a COVID-19 press conference in July 2021. Hidalgo also faced more specific challenges, including her fundraising disadvantage and a corruption probe. 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. The 31-year-old stood in front of supporters applauding and chanting her name at the office of the Harris Democratic Party. 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. "They do that to get you talking about everything but Harris County. 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. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. 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. Fifteen candidates are vying for the position of Harris County judge in the upcoming . Lina Hidalgo reelected as Harris County judge. I also want to thank Ms. Mealer for a hard-fought campaign & her military service. I also want to thank Ms. Mealer for a hard-fought campaign & her military service. He initially joined the paper through the Hearst Journalism Fellowship program after covering the same beats for the San Antonio Express-News. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo made passing reference to Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale and other prominent endorsers of her political opponent Alex Mealer during a Wednesday victory speech. They asked the federal government for additional vaccine doses due to rising, but still relatively small, numbers of cases. Rest assured that I take, very seriously, the responsibility to serve all of Hidalgo County. 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. 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. 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. She enjoys binge-watching anime and films makeup tutorials in her spare time. Hidalgo, Garcia cruise through primary, while incumbent judges struggle, Timeline: How battle between Houston ISD, TEA has reached the point of a looming takeover. 3 . Republican Harris County Judge candidate Alexandra del Moral Mealer talks to the media as early election results come in at her watch party at Kirby Ice House on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in Houston. County Court at Law Judge Lesley Briones and former Harris County elections staffer Benjamin Chou were leading in that race. Jay R. Jordan; Axios on facebook. The board praised her plans to combat violent crime in the county and promises to clear a backlog of criminal cases at the courthouse. The request to keep the polling sites open late was made by the Texas Organizing Project, Texas Civil Rights Project and the ACLU of Texas. Hidalgo County Courthouse 100 North Closner. Harris County judge candidates . November 8, 2022 (General) Hidalgo. Ed Emmett (Republican Party) was the Harris County Judge in Texas. Lina Hidalgo (@LinaHidalgoTX) November 9, 2022. . Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? Monday, February 14, 2022. 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. She pointed to a recent city-county gun buyback program and county spending aimed at addressing maternal mortality. Espaol / English. Climate damage has fueled storms that flood our region. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? Another administrative incumbent, Harris County Treasurer Dylan Osborne, appeared headed for defeat as well, trailing challenger Carla Wyatt. Shortly before 5 a.m., the early votes and less than half of the 375 voting centers had been reported. She was previously a political reporter with the Texas Signal. 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. Former Army Capt. As County judge, she oversees an annual budget of $4.3 billion with four other County commissioners (who all happen to be men). From attacks by Texas Republicans, charges filed . Lina Hidalgo (@LinaHidalgoTX) November 9, 2022. "I want to thank her for her concession and I want to thank her again for her service to our country so let's give her a round of applause." 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. 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.. Its rattlesnake season in Texas. "My opponent will often say, well, none of these are county issues," Hidalgo said. We need more vaccine, Turner said. "Hidalgo continues to be the front-runner, primarily because of the makeup of Harris County in terms of partisanship," Cross said. Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? Minerva Diaz (R) Hidalgo County Commissioner Precinct 4. 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 result could be a 4-1 Democratic powerhouse, the same 3-2 divide or a shift back to a Republican-controlled court. He said they were watching growing caseloads in other major American cities. That's why tonight we are hosting a forum with the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge in the Democratic Party Primary. She's challenging Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo to become the chief executive over county government and head of the Commissioners Court. In the GOP primary for county treasurer, Kyle Scott led Eric Dick. Republican challenger Alexandra del Moral Mealer has conceded her bid to unseat Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, with unofficial results show her trailing by . Democrats have won every countywide contest since 2016, including Hidalgos own upset win over popular incumbent Ed Emmett in 2018. 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. 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. Their Republican opponents will need runoffs to determine winners. 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. Many pundits have said these races are too close to call, and early vote returns reflect that these races are tight, Sims said. 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. If you are running in the March 2022 primaries, we want to hear from you. This is a carousel. . EXPLAINER: What you need to know about Lina Hidalgo and Alex Mealer in the race for Harris County judge. Heres what you need to know. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer, Gary Fountain/Contributor. Elections Lina Hidalgo reelected as Harris County judge . Mealer has framed those unfilled positions as another failure on Hidalgo's part, suggesting the county recruit from military bases and offer signingbonuses using federal COVID relief funds. Const. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo gives a speech at the Harris County Democratic Party headquarters after being reelected for a second term on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022 in Houston. As Hidalgo's woes multiplied in commissioners court, her political opponent continued to rack up high-dollar contributions from well-heeled conservative donors. Hidalgo took . The elections took place amid a series of hurdles at the ballot box, culminating Tuesday night with Harris County election officials asking the state for an extension on the 24-hour deadline, required by state law, to count all the votes. Join us on Facebook Live and YouTube Live tonight, Friday, February 4th at 5 pm. She said both local parties, following the secretary of states advice, agreed to seek a court order adjusting the deadline. . She assumed office on January 1, 2019. STAY IN THE KNOW, by visiting our website in the next couple of days. Harris County judgeLina Hidalgotalks to her supporters at a primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. 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. ", Thank you to all those who supported our campaign for good governance pic.twitter.com/ZnjLvtQVTO. "But we earned every vote and not with exaggerations or falsehoods. 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. Quick Links. 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. 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. ), LIVE RESULTS TRACKER: Texas 2022 midterm elections: Live results from Abbott vs. Beto, Hidalgo vs. Mealer and more. 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. Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Mealer's tough-on-crime campaign also spotlighted these accusations, framing the 31-year-old incumbent as an adversary of local law enforcement. 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. Among the big-money conservatives to throw money behind Mealer were Texas oil tycoons Tim Dunn, and Faris Wilks, who became some of Hidalgo's Republican challenger's top donors in October with a $100,000 donation from the Defend Texas Liberty PAC, which the two men fund. 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. Previously, she was a community news and breaking news reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. Chris Daniel, a former district clerk, ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Procedures for Candidates, 2019-2021. 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 . Its rattlesnake season in Texas. LUPE is a nonprofit organization that helps the community organize for and win a better quality of life. Hidalgos Republican opponent, Alexandra del Moral Mealer raised 4x the amount of fundraising money in her bid. Mealer is trying to take full advantage, blanketing the airwaves with campaign ads and outspending the incumbent overall. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, This is what Houston looks like from space. The judge also referenced endorsements of her opponent made by Jim Mattress "Mack McIngvale" and the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board, as well as others she characterized as belonging to a "political establishment that frankly has held onto power for just a little too long. She's responsible for emergency management, which means she's in charge when disasters strike, whether that comes in the form of chemical fires, floods, a pandemic or power grid failures during a historic winter storm . The balance of the five-member court is at stake in this election, with three incumbents up for re-election in competitive races. Austin, TX, February 8, 2022 With increasingly heated discussions over public safety and rising homicide rates, and a grand jury investigation over an $11 million vaccine outreach contract looming, multiple Democratic and Republican candidates have filed for a chance to challenge Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo in 2022.. Hidalgo faces five challengers in the Democratic primary, most . The vote totals confirmed just how hotly contested the local races were. ", 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. 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. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Incumbent Cagle lost his bid for reelection as Harris County Precinct 4 commissioner against Democratic challenger Lesley Briones, a civil court judge. 10:46 AM CDT October 23, 2022 . He grew up in Connecticut, graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, and is a die-hard Red Sox fan. 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. 2022 Candidate's Guide - Running for State, District or County Office; 2020 Candidate's Guide - Running for Federal, State, District or County offices. Q&A with Harris County judge candidate Alexandra Mealer. 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. Hidalgo's conservative commissioners court colleagues have accused the judge of "defunding the police," a claim she has fiercely denied. . With varying results coming from the few public polls conducted on the race, there is little consensus on where things stand heading into the final weeks of the campaign. Hidalgo repeatedly has said the countys main public safety departments the sheriff, constables and district attorney have received funding boosts in each county budget since Democrats took control of Commissioners Court in 2018. Dan Patrick, and Texas Comptroller Glen Hegar, particularly with accusations that she was "defunding" the police. Hidalgo enjoyed a small lead in the 2018 early vote, and she performed better on Election Day, growing her lead to secure a 50-to-48 percent victory. Her reporting has aired nationally on NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Here & Now. Her biggest donor was Richard Weekley, a Houston-based developer and megadonor who contributed $400,000 to Mealers campaign. 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 . 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. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Show More Show Less 2 of 2. Published March 1, 2022. Jack Cagle is running against Democrat Lesley Briones. "The math is clear, and one plus one equals two, but they're still trying to pin that on us," she said. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo at a Commissioners Court meeting in February 2020. 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. Those two forces are clashing, according to Nancy Sims, a political analyst and lecturer of political science at the University of Houston. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo high-fives a woman in the front row during an abortion rights rally organized by Beto O'Rourke at Discovery Green on Saturday, May 7, 2022 in Houston. For the latest and best fromChron,sign up for our daily newsletter here. Election mishaps and conflicting court rulings introduced a degree of uncertainty about when the results would become official. No candidate in those two races had the majority needed to win outright on election night. The Houston Chronicle's editorial board makes an endorsement for the Harris County judge that can be considered crucial in the tight race. We are a membership-based organization and our strength is found in the participation of our over eight thousand members. Hidalgo touts among her . McGuinness previously covered the Rhode Island statehouse for the Associated Press and breaking news for the Boston Globe. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's political future is on the line for 2022. Hidalgo County Elections Department administers the polling locations in the early voting period. 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.. Martin trailed by a small margin, while the rest trailed by larger amounts. 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. ", "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. Her current term ends on December 31, 2026. 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. 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. Politics A new poll shows the Harris County Judge's race is neck-and-neck. Hidalgo has scoffed at Mealers police hiring pledge, pointing to the countys more than 400 unfilled law enforcement positions.

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