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. Ballotpedia's 2022 elections analysis. Tensions ran high as the court's two Republican members skipped the meeting, blocking the three Democrats from passing their proposed tax rate unless they agreed to specific terms for funding law enforcement. 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. Democratic incumbent Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer addressed voters in Houston. So, I think it's actually harmful to spend a lot of time talking about issues that aren't in your control," Mealer said. Early voting will begin Monday, October 24, 2022 and will run through. While Mealer and other GOP candidates running for seats on Commissioners Court have maintained an intense focus on crime and public safety, those issues are far from the only challenges facing Harris County government, which also is responsible for planning out billions of dollars in flood control projects, overseeing development in unincorporated areas and running public health institutions that provide treatment for a large share of the county's uninsured, low-income residents. That fundraising ability allowed Mealer to distribute TV ads hammering home her message that crime is out of control and Hidalgo is to blame. Turnout overall was down 10 percent, but de Leon noted it still marked the second-highest turnout for a midterm election here. 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. 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. 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. The poll released by the UH Hobby School of Public Affairs shows Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo at 48% among likely . 10:46 AM CDT October 23, 2022 . Jaime E. Galvan 11/8/2022. . Taken on September 7, 2022. Minerva Diaz (R) Hidalgo County Commissioner Precinct 4. I also want to thank Ms. Mealer for a hard-fought campaign & her military service. The judge congratulated other candidates who . "We are just getting started.". The result could be a 4-1 Democratic powerhouse, the same 3-2 divide or a shift back to a Republican-controlled court. The contract was ultimately rescinded, and Hidalgo has continuously defended her office and aides in relation to the indictment. Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria said some paper ballots got wrinkled and jammed, but most votes would be counted on time. District Clerk Marilyn Burgess led her Democratic challenger in the early returns. (Steve Gonzales, Staff photographer) / Hidalgo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner before they gave a joint press conference about growing Monkeypox infections in July 2022. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz attends Republican Harris County Judge candidate Alexandra del Moral Mealer watch party at Kirby Ice House on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in Houston. Lina Hidalgo (@LinaHidalgoTX) November 9, 2022. . In the process, she became a champion to progressives who said that focus helped struggling households that the countys previously limited government left behind. We need more vaccine, Turner said. 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. 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. On election night, Mealer conceded the race after unofficial results showed Hidalgo riding to a comfortable 15,000-vote lead. Updated: Jun 18, 2021 / 01:46 PM CDT. A new study says yes. 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. According to election results from 2016 and 2020, Democrats hold a 12-point advantage in Precinct 4. Many pundits have said these races are too close to call, and early vote returns reflect that these races are tight, Sims said. On Twitter Wednesday morning, Hidalgo celebrated her win, tweeting: "Yesterday, the people of Harris County chose optimism over fear & people over politics. She's challenging Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo to become the chief executive over county government and head of the Commissioners Court. 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. 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. Her biggest donor was Richard Weekley, a Houston-based developer and megadonor who contributed $400,000 to Mealers campaign. Her reporting has aired nationally on NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Here & Now. 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 . They answered questions from the . That means our county judge must be ready to lead our community through these challenges and toward a thriving future. In the GOP primary for county treasurer, Kyle Scott led Eric Dick. In April, three Hidalgo staff members, including her chief of staff, were indicted for misuse of official information and tampering with government evidence. [Tex. Election mishaps and conflicting court rulings introduced a degree of uncertainty about when the results would become official. 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. 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! Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo greets her supporters at an primaries election night party at Axelrad Beer Garden, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. Democratic County Judge Lina Hidalgo beat Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer by more than 18,000 votes. Early voting in the March primary begins on Valentine's Day. "But we earned every vote and not with exaggerations or falsehoods. Hidalgos Republican opponent, Alexandra del Moral Mealer raised 4x the amount of fundraising money in her bid. Where do the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge stand on the biggest challenges facing colonia residents and the Rio Grande Valley? Hidalgo's slight edge over Mealer emerged with the results of early and absentee voting, and remained largely the same as the county's tallying process dragged on into the morning. 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. Hidalgo drew support from 45%. 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, a Democrat, and Pct. 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. For the latest and best fromChron,sign up for our daily newsletter here. 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. Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo is running for a second term as Harris County Judge. Hidalgo appeared to gain some breathing room over the summer, when public backlash to the Supreme Courts scrapping of Roe v Wade provided a boost to Democrats around the country. 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. Help us ask the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge the challenging questions. The intense exchange was just one of many instances in which the lieutenant governor has openly rejected Hidalgo. 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. ", 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. "With crime rising, is the focus increasing deputies or is it increasing social workers?" After briefly looking down and taking a pause, Hidalgo continued: "But y'all, didn't I say it would be a sweet victory?". Campaign Finance Reports. 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. Hidalgo County residents and colonia residents in particular are on the frontlines of the biggest challenges facing the nation and the world. The result: Cagles Republican-leaning precinct became a Democratic-leaning one. BY THE NUMBERS: Republicans say violent crime is up, Dems say it's down. Shortly before 5 a.m., the early votes and less than half of the 375 voting centers had been reported. He has also reported on local politics for both papers. This is a carousel. November 8, 2022 General Election & Local Entities Elections. 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. Fifteen candidates are vying for the position of Harris County judge in the upcoming . 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. Come find out at a candidate forum hosted by LUPE and LUPE Votes this Friday, February 4th at 5 pm online. "I want to thank Alex Mealer for running a hard-fought campaign," Hidalgo began. 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. 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. 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. Another candidate for county judge is McAllen City Commissioner Tania Ramirez. With 205 of 259 precincts reporting in the Democratic primary, Ruben Ramirez was leading in the race for U.S. Representative . Her current term ends on December 31, 2026. . Join us on Facebook Live and YouTube Live tonight, Friday, February 4th at 5 pm. 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 . Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo during a COVID-19 press conference in July 2021. 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. 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. 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 ( Democratic Party) ran for re-election for Harris County Judge in Texas. 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.. Incumbent Cagle lost his bid for reelection as Harris County Precinct 4 commissioner against Democratic challenger Lesley Briones, a civil court judge. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your County Judge. . "To the extent we work on these issues that affect us all, all of us will do better. Sam Gonzlez Kelly is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle. Alexandra Mealer is a tenacious campaigner, said Jessica Coln, a Houston-based Republican strategist who is uninvolved in the race. She said both local parties, following the secretary of states advice, agreed to seek a court order adjusting the deadline. 2022 Election. Mealer is trying to take full advantage, blanketing the airwaves with campaign ads and outspending the incumbent overall. "Right now the county judge race is in a . More than 80 percent of Mealer's contributions were spent on advertising, while Hidalgo spent more than 87 percent, according to a report from Community Impact. Editor's Note: Calling all Rio Grande Valley candidates. 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. "She does seem to evoke strong emotions in either party. Hidalgos Republican opponent, Alexandra del Moral Mealer raised 4x the amount of fundraising money in her bid. Lina Hidalgo ( Democratic Party) is the Harris County Judge in Texas. 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.