I also want to thank Ms. Mealer for a hard-fought campaign & her military service. The Editorial Board. Mealer, who keyed in on violent crime in Harris County, was also favored in donations, outraising Hidalgo by nearly $7 million in campaign contributions thanks in large part to a number of generous GOP donors. 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. Harris County Commissioner Pct. As Hidalgo's woes multiplied in commissioners court, her political opponent continued to rack up high-dollar contributions from well-heeled conservative donors. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's political future is on the line for 2022. 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.. Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo during a COVID-19 press conference in July 2021. Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? 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. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Show More Show Less 2 of 2. Mealer calls Hidalgo's campaign strategy dishonest and has criticized Hidalgo for focusing on abortion rights, a policy area the county judge has no authority over. 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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. Judge Lina Hidalgo moved the COVID - 19 Threat to Level Orange at Houston Transtar Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Houston. Democrats thought their 3-2 majority on the Court would make this an easy task and they . The County Judge is the presiding officer of the county commissioners court and the head of emergency management. Republicans say violent crime is up, Dems say it's down. 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. That message helped Mealer rake in millions in campaign cash, with six-figure support in the last month from the likes of Gallery Furniture owner Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale and energy executive David Modesett, among others. (Steve Gonzales, Staff photographer) / Hidalgo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner before they gave a joint press conference about growing Monkeypox infections in July 2022. 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. 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. 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. Hidalgo ( Democratic Party) ran for re-election for Harris County Judge in Texas. Hidalgo's reelection campaign also suffered a blow following an unexpected endorsement from the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board co-signing Mealer. Search Texas Monthly Monday, February 14, 2022. 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. Hidalgo has scoffed at Mealers police hiring pledge, pointing to the countys more than 400 unfilled law enforcement positions. [Tex. Mealer is trying to take full advantage, blanketing the airwaves with campaign ads and outspending the incumbent overall. Lawyers for the aides have maintained their innocence. 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. 2022 Wave elections; ), LIVE RESULTS TRACKER: Texas 2022 midterm elections: Live results from Abbott vs. Beto, Hidalgo vs. Mealer and more. Ballotpedia's 2022 elections analysis. 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. Republican Harris County Judge candidate Alexandra del Moral Mealer gets ready to talk to the media as early election results come in at her watch party at Kirby Ice House on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in Houston. Hidalgo has held the position since defeating then-incumbent and longtime County . Members shall draw lots to determine who serves which terms. Two family court judges, Tristan Longino of the 245th district court and Barbara Stalder of the 280th, also trailed in early results, along with Scot Dollinger of the 189th district civil court. Published March 1, 2022. Incumbent Cagle lost his bid for reelection as Harris County Precinct 4 commissioner against Democratic challenger Lesley Briones, a civil court judge. Former Army captain Alexandra Del Moral Mealer won her primary in May, securing her as the Republican candidate for Harris County judge against Hidalgo in November. 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. Their Republican opponents will need runoffs to determine winners. 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. 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. 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. 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. "My opponent will often say, well, none of these are county issues," Hidalgo said. Emmett left office in 2019. In this one, Mealer is hoping to achieve the same feat, only with the parties swapped. 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. 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 . Editor's Note: Calling all Rio Grande Valley candidates. Adrian Garcia is in a rematch with Republican Jack Morman, Lina Hidalgo and Alexandra Mealer debate Harris County budget, crime and policy, appeared to gain some breathing room over the summer, What you need to know about Lina Hidalgo and Alex Mealer in the race for Harris County judge, refused campaign contributions from county contractors, have relied heavily on firms that do business with the county, has raised millions from small-dollar donors, Hidalgo, Harris County Dems hope for boost from abortion, national trends, but races still competitive over crime, economy. Hidalgo drew support from 45%. Minerva Diaz (R) Hidalgo County Commissioner Precinct 4. 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. As County judge, she oversees an annual budget of $4.3 billion with four other County commissioners (who all happen to be men). 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. Onward! Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is applauded as she arrives to a primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. Judges at the courthouse quickly encountered trouble in those unofficial returns. 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, Texas 2022 midterm elections: Live results from Abbott vs. Beto, Hidalgo vs. Mealer and more, retain and expand control of the county government, Mealer concedes county judge race to Hidalgo, ran a spirited campaign arguing that Hidalgo has forsaken public safety. 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. 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. Republicans and prominent business leaders in Harris County made unseating Hidalgo a priority. Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo greets her supporters at an primaries election night party at Axelrad Beer Garden, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. Rest assured that I take, very seriously, the responsibility to serve all of Hidalgo County. 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. Who won and who lost in the 2022 midterm elections across Houston and rest of Texas? 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, a Republican, do not face election this year. 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. 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. This 10 percentage point lead by . Texas Ethics Commission . After briefly looking down and taking a pause, Hidalgo continued: "But y'all, didn't I say it would be a sweet victory?". And Mealer, 38, a retired Army veteran, ran a spirited campaign arguing that Hidalgo has forsaken public safety in the name of extracurricular goals. Among those trailing are five criminal district court judges: Chuck Silverman, 183rd district court; Abigail Anastasio, 184th; Greg Glass, 208th; and Amy Martin, 263rd. "To the extent we work on these issues that affect us all, all of us will do better. Onward! Sam Gonzlez Kelly is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle. Is Whataburger healthy? Chris Daniel, a former district clerk, ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Despite seeing a barrage of criticisms . In the GOP primary for county treasurer, Kyle Scott led Eric Dick. Another administrative incumbent, Harris County Treasurer Dylan Osborne, appeared headed for defeat as well, trailing challenger Carla Wyatt. A new study says yes. 2022 Election. the Hidalgo County health authority, announced he was passing on a campaign for the seat, saying he could . Democratic County Judge Lina Hidalgo beat Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer by more than 18,000 votes. Staff writers Samantha Ketterer, Yilun Cheng and Elizabeth Trovall contributed to this report. Hidalgo, Garcia cruise through primary, while incumbent judges struggle, Timeline: How battle between Houston ISD, TEA has reached the point of a looming takeover. (Jon Shapley, Staff photographer), Bun B, Badu, J.J. Watt celebrate RodeoHouston Southern Takeover, Exclusive: Abbott explains push against diversity hiring programs. defeat of Republican challenger Alex Mealer in Tuesday's Harris County judge election. 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. Alexandra del Moral Mealer, the Republican nominee for Harris County judge, speaking at the press conference at the Harris County DeputiesOrganization in Houston. "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. 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! With all voting centers reporting, Hidalgo had 546,745 votes (50.74 percent) to Mealer's 530,788 (49.25 percent. Her biggest donor was Richard Weekley, a Houston-based developer and megadonor who contributed $400,000 to Mealers campaign. 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. Campaign finance reports received by the Harris County Office of the Elections Administrator on July 15 show $2.88M in total contributions between Feb. 20-June 30 to the two candidates for Harris . Unofficial results for county, state and federal primary races have been released in Hidalgo County, with voters casting ballots in races, including county judge, criminal district attorney and governor. She's challenging Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo to become the chief executive over county government and head of the Commissioners Court. She pointed to a recent city-county gun buyback program and county spending aimed at addressing maternal mortality. 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. Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? Dylan McGuinness covers City Hall and local politics for the Houston Chronicle. Mealer has focused her campaign on crime and public safety spending, arguing Hidalgo has failed to devote enough funding to county law enforcement amid a rise in violent crime. 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. The primary election is March 1, 2022. A sixth criminal judge, Jason Luong of the 185th district court, also trailed in his election but appeared headed for a runoff. The judge congratulated other candidates who . Despite the odds seemingly piling up against Hidalgo as Election Day approached, the 31-year-old Democrat still managed to come out on top. Moreover, Patrick confronted Hidalgo at the event and accused her of defunding the police despite increasing the law enforcement budget since 2019. Three of her staffers have been indicted by District Attorney Kim Ogg over a controversial COVID-19 outreach contract, an investigation that Hidalgo has decried as a witch-hunt. 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, a Democrat, and Pct. Help us ask the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge the challenging questions. 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. Politics A new poll shows the Harris County Judge's race is neck-and-neck. The intense exchange was just one of many instances in which the lieutenant governor has openly rejected Hidalgo. 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. "She does seem to evoke strong emotions in either party. 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. 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. 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. 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 . WINNERS AND LOSERS: Who won and who lost in the 2022 midterm elections across Houston and rest of Texas? 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. 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. Hidalgos Republican opponent, Alexandra del Moral Mealer raised 4x the amount of fundraising money in her bid. Previously, she was a community news and breaking news reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. Lina Hidalgo, a rising Democratic star, faces a tough reelection race to lead Harris County. The Houston region's high number of homicides, the state's new abortion ban and a flood of campaign . Vendor Portal . Elections Harris County election results 2022: County judge, commissioners, propositions. In April, three Hidalgo staff members, including her chief of staff, were indicted for misuse of official information and tampering with government evidence. Early voting will begin Monday, October 24, 2022 and will run through. A look back at Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's biggest moments of 2022. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, This is what Houston looks like from space. Espaol / English. 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. Fifteen candidates are vying for the position of Harris County judge in the upcoming . FOX 26 Houston. "They do that to get you talking about everything but Harris County. Against the newcomer, Hidalgo's campaign appeared unworried about Mealer's prospects and trusted voters would secure her position again. Hidalgo touts among her . 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. You can't just look the other way on so many issues.". She enjoys traveling and reading romance novels. art. 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. The court last year redrew both precincts to favor Democrats. 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. ", Yesterday, the people of Harris County chose optimism over fear & people over politics. Hidalgo also faced more specific challenges, including her fundraising disadvantage and a corruption probe. Please check back later for updates. 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. Release: Hidalgo County Judge Candidates Will Tackle the Biggest Challenges Facing Colonia, RGV Residents at LUPE Candidate Forum. For the latest and best fromChron,sign up for our daily newsletter here. Democrats have won every countywide contest since 2016, including Hidalgos own upset win over popular incumbent Ed Emmett in 2018. Join us on Facebook Live and YouTube Live tonight, Friday, February 4th at 5 pm. 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 . Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke is leading . Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria said some paper ballots got wrinkled and jammed, but most votes would be counted on time. 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. As many of you know, I am not a stranger to public service. Campaign Finance Reports. If you are running in the March 2022 primaries, we want to hear from you. 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. The poll, which surveyed nearly 1,000 likely election voters, has Mealer leading 48 percent to Hidalgo's 44 percent. Throughout her reelection campaign, Hidalgo faced an onslaught of criticism from state Republicans, including Gov. 4 candidate Lesley Briones talks to her supporters at her watch party at Cottonwood on N. Shepherd Tuesday Nov. 08,2022.Also pictured are her daughters Catalina, Ana Lucia and Valentina. Its rattlesnake season in Texas. Incumbents in more high-profile local posts, namely Hidalgo and Garcia, fared better. 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. He grew up in Connecticut, graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, and is a die-hard Red Sox fan. Harris County judge candidates . 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. 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. Dylan McGuinness covers City Hall and local politics for the Houston Chronicle. Hidalgo also found herself at the center of controversy earlier this year after three of her top aides were indicted by a grand jury. LUPE was founded in 1989 by farmworker and civil rights leaders . 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. Hidalgo County Clerk. 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. Updated: Jun 18, 2021 / 01:46 PM CDT. 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. . 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). "The math is clear, and one plus one equals two, but they're still trying to pin that on us," she said. The two emerged as victors in a nine-person primary election last month, with Mealer capturing 29 percent to Martinez's 26 percent. She said both local parties, following the secretary of states advice, agreed to seek a court order adjusting the deadline. 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.
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