Cortez, Tania Ramirez, and Norma Ramirez are running in the Democratic Party primary. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Show More Show Less 2 of 2. Jen Rice is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle covering Harris County government. 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.. The result could be a 4-1 Democratic powerhouse, the same 3-2 divide or a shift back to a Republican-controlled court. 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. 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. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's political future is on the line for 2022. "We are just getting started.". She has defended the staffers, who are accused of steering a vaccine outreach contract to a politically connected vendor. Democrats also have a 12-point historic edge in Precinct 2, where Garcia's lead over his challenger and predecessor, Morman, had grown to 5 percentage points by 4 a.m. Pct. 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. Alexandra del Moral Mealer, the Republican nominee for Harris County judge, speaking at the press conference at the Harris County DeputiesOrganization in Houston. County Judge Lina Hidalgo's biggest moments of 2022 . "She does seem to evoke strong emotions in either party. I am extremely grateful to our supporters and all those who contributed to this campaign. 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. 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. 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. I want to thank each & every voter who showed up to make their voice heard this election. What does the data say? 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 - Ballotpedia 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. Q&A: Get to know the Republican candidates for Harris County judge Here's why it's hard to clean up toxic waste from the East Palestine The Editorial Board. ), LIVE RESULTS TRACKER: Texas 2022 midterm elections: Live results from Abbott vs. Beto, Hidalgo vs. Mealer and more. Turnout in the top 10 majority Black ZIP codes was down 15 percent from 2018, for example. The poll, which surveyed nearly 1,000 likely election voters, has Mealer leading 48 percent to Hidalgo's 44 percent. ", Before closing out her speech, Hidalgo turned attention to any who don't believe she won her reelection fair and square. Another candidate for county judge is McAllen City Commissioner Tania Ramirez. Austin, TX, October 4, 2022 A new poll out Tuesday shows voters prefer Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer to incumbent Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo 48 to 44 percent, with 8 percent undecided.. On behalf of the conservative Defend Texas Liberty Political Action Committee (PAC), CWS Research conducted the survey of 900 likely voters in Harris County between September 24 and October 1. Sen. Ted Cruz, who endorsed Mealer showed up at Mealer's election watch party. Participation among voters with Spanish surnames was down 18 percent. The contract was ultimately rescinded, and Hidalgo has continuously defended her office and aides in relation to the indictment. Come find out at a candidate forum hosted by LUPE and LUPE Votes this Friday, February 4th at 5 pm online. In Precinct 2, former commissioner Jack Morman and Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton led three other candidates. HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas (ValleyCentral) - The race for Hidalgo County Judge has two candidates on the Republican ticket, something that is rare in the Rio Grande Valley. The Democratic incumbent has touted her response to the COVID-19 pandemicincluding supporting measures like drive-thru voting to help make it easier to voterecord investments in the county toward early childhood education, and creation of a legal defense fund for immigrants under her leadership. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your County Judge. Axios on linkedin. Harris County Judge: Lina Hidalgo takes the lead in 2022 Texas Primary She enjoys binge-watching anime and films makeup tutorials in her spare time. 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. 2022 Primary Election | Hidalgo County, TX - Official Website Hidalgo County residents and colonia residents in particular are on the frontlines of the biggest challenges facing the nation and the world. Another administrative incumbent, Harris County Treasurer Dylan Osborne, appeared headed for defeat as well, trailing challenger Carla Wyatt. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Violent crime in Harris County has become a key issue in the race for County Judge, with one of the candidates unveiling a law enforcement plan in an effort to curb . 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 . 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. 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. No candidate in those two races had the majority needed to win outright on election night. 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. LUPE was founded in 1989 by farmworker and civil rights leaders . "We believe and we stick to our values and that's what we brought to county government," Hidalgo told supporters at the Sam Houston Hotel late Tuesday, appearing with fellow Democrats Garcia and Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis. Her opponent, Republican challenge . WINNERS AND LOSERS: Who won, who lost, who's going to a runoff in primary elections across Houston, rest of Texas. 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. Judge Lina Hidalgo moved the COVID - 19 Threat to Level Orange at Houston Transtar Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Houston. Poll Shows Republican Alex Mealer Leading in Harris County Judge Race 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. Hidalgo has scoffed at Mealers police hiring pledge, pointing to the countys more than 400 unfilled law enforcement positions. 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. Dan Patrick, and Texas Comptroller Glen Hegar, particularly with accusations that she was "defunding" the police. She has evolved into a savvy, hard-nosed, driven candidate, and she has been incredibly successful in raising the funds necessary to compete with Lina Hidalgo. Del Moral Mealer is running in the Republican primary for Harris County Judge. So, I think it's actually harmful to spend a lot of time talking about issues that aren't in your control," Mealer said. Terry Palacios wins Democratic nomination in Hidalgo County district Hidalgo County Clerk. Code 7.104] 2 All State Senate seats are up for election in 2022 following redistricting in 2021. They asked the federal government for additional vaccine doses due to rising, but still relatively small, numbers of cases. In that race, Hidalgo a little-known challenger capitalized on Democratic enthusiasm in a midterm election under a drastically unpopular Republican president. VIDEO: Lina Hidalgo and Alexandra Mealer debate Harris County budget, crime and policy. LUPE was founded in 1989 by farmworker and civil rights leaders Cesar E. Chavez and Dolores Huerta. A new study says yes. 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. And there is something for us to do. 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. Hidalgo also addressed the millions in campaign contributions her opponent garnered from "far right, Trump mega-donors," while campaigning for office. Chris Daniel, a former district clerk, ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Mealers bid focused on the rise in crime Harris County has seen since the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking to lay blame for that uptick at Hidalgos feet, although similar or larger increases have occurred across the country. With all voting centers reporting, Hidalgo had 546,745 votes (50.74 percent) to Mealer's 530,788 (49.25 percent. Solis: Redo the primary election in Hidalgo County; tens of thousands The local Democratic Party administers the polling locations on Election Day. Oct 25, 2022 - News. "The community has a position on these issues, and they want to know their leader's position. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo tries to win re-election but faces a challenge from Republican Alexandra . defeat of Republican challenger Alex Mealer in Tuesday's Harris County judge election. 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. 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. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, This is what Houston looks like from space, 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. LIVE UPDATES: 2022 Texas Primary Election Results. 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. "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. Those showed potentially ominous trends for strongholds in the traditional Democratic coalition. Both candidates have highlighted their ethnicityin their campaigns: Hidalgo was born in Colombia and immigrated with her family to the U.S. in 2005, while Mealer's paternal grandfather immigrated from Spain. Harris County judge candidates . Surrounded by fellow Democrats, Lina Hidalgo delivered victory remarks and passing jabs at her detractors during a Wednesday afternoon speech following herdefeat of Republican challenger Alex Mealer in Tuesday's Harris County judge election. District Clerk Marilyn Burgess led her Democratic challenger in the early returns. The 31-year-old stood in front of supporters applauding and chanting her name at the office of the Harris Democratic Party. As Hidalgo's woes multiplied in commissioners court, her political opponent continued to rack up high-dollar contributions from well-heeled conservative donors. She has been on the ground to cover natural disasters, disease outbreaks, elections and protests, delivering stories to both . Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. The County Judge is the presiding officer of the county commissioners court and the head of emergency management. Jack Cagle is running against Democrat Lesley Briones. art. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer, Gary Fountain/Contributor. Lawyers for the aides have maintained their innocence. "My opponent will often say, well, none of these are county issues," Hidalgo said. Lin-Manuel Miranda appeared at a rally Tuesday supporting Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo . "That is a key priority," Hidalgo said. Norma Ramirez resigns as Hidalgo County Democratic Party chair For the first time, the two candidates for Harris County judge, incumbent Lina Hidalgo and challenger Alexandra Mealer, sat down face-to-face. 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. That is not guaranteed, though, given the narrow nature of their leads and the in-limbo status of the set-aside ballots. "No one really knows what the county judge does. 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 . Release: Hidalgo County Judge Candidates Will Tackle the Biggest Challenges Facing Colonia, RGV Residents at LUPE Candidate Forum. Don't elect their candidate for County Judge" or something and avoided a poor fact checking result. ", 'POLITICS OF PERCEPTION': Hidalgo, Harris County Dems hope for boost from abortion, national trends, but races still competitive over crime, economy. 05/09/2022 01:51 PM EDT. November 8, 2022 General Election & Local Entities Elections. Sort of. Alexandra Mealer is a tenacious campaigner, said Jessica Coln, a Houston-based Republican strategist who is uninvolved in the race. New survey looks at voting trends in Harris County Judge race 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. 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 . "Right now the county judge race is in a . 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. FOX 26 rates Hidalgo attack ad: 'Mostly B.S.' : r/houston Const. the Hidalgo County health authority, announced he was passing on a campaign for the seat, saying he could . 2022 Wave elections; Candidate Information Texas Secretary of State. 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. As many of you know, I am not a stranger to public service. During her campaign, Hidalgo said she was also subjected to smears, attacks, and the "dirtiest political tricks" from statewide leaders like Gov. Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer concedes, Harris County Judge 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. Candidate for Harris County Judge Alexandra del Moral Mealer poses for a photo Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, at the Houston Chronicle offices in Houston. 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. Harris County Judge candidates: Lina Hidalgo vs Alexandra del Moral Mealer Hobby School Poll: Harris County Judge's Race Too Close to Call "Elections should not be about pitting one group against each other. Mealer said. He initially joined the paper through the Hearst Journalism Fellowship program after covering the same beats for the San Antonio Express-News. 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 . Republicans Have Their Knives Out for Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo 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. Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, 2022. challenging Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, The key state and local races that your vote will decide in the November 8 midterm election, 1,000 additional law enforcement officers. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Please type your name EXACTLY as it appears on your VOTER REGISTRATION RECORD. Brioness lead over Cagle came in part by design. Emmett assumed office in 2007. Lina Hidalgo ( Democratic Party) is the Harris County Judge in Texas. Lin-Manuel Miranda appeared at a rally Tuesday supporting Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo for reelection. 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. For the latest and best fromChron,sign up for our daily newsletter here. 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! Sort of. Among those trailing are five criminal district court judges: Chuck Silverman, 183rd district court; Abigail Anastasio, 184th; Greg Glass, 208th; and Amy Martin, 263rd. Editor's Note: Calling all Rio Grande Valley candidates. Hidalgo took . 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. 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. 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. Texas 2022 Elections GOP Harris County judge candidate contesting her loss after . Hidalgo's camp announced that the Democratic judge will make her victory remarks at the office of the Harris County Democratic Party on Wednesday, though they did not confirm when. But for now, her two GOP challengers are busy slashing at each other before the May 24 runoff election. 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. Search Texas Monthly Hidalgo's reelection campaign also suffered a blow following an unexpected endorsement from the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board co-signing Mealer. She has created a political base around her campaign to make her race one of the most important and contested races in the state..