The court last year redrew both precincts to favor Democrats. 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. She has defended the staffers, who are accused of steering a vaccine outreach contract to a politically connected vendor. Hidalgo County Elections Department administers the polling locations in the early voting period. Hidalgo has maintained that the scandal was a politically motivated attack and has publicly defended her aides. Harris County judge candidates . Hidalgo's staffers being charged in 2022 with helping . In her victory speech, Hidalgo criticized local figures who contributed to her opponent, throwing shade at Mattress Mack, who notably did not take kindly to the judge referring to him as a "furniture salesman." "The math is clear, and one plus one equals two, but they're still trying to pin that on us," she said. For the latest and best fromChron,sign up for our daily newsletter here. 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. 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. 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. Edinburg, Texas 78539. "But we earned every vote and not with exaggerations or falsehoods. 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. 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 . Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Received, not Postmarked) Friday, February 18, 2022. I also want to thank Ms. Mealer for a hard-fought campaign & her military service. 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. They asked the federal government for additional vaccine doses due to rising, but still relatively small, numbers of cases. He said they were watching growing caseloads in other major American cities. Saturday, January 1, 2022. Mealer's tough-on-crime campaign also spotlighted these accusations, framing the 31-year-old incumbent as an adversary of local law enforcement. 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 . With 205 of 259 precincts reporting in the Democratic primary, Ruben Ramirez was leading in the race for U.S. Representative . According to election results from 2016 and 2020, Democrats hold a 12-point advantage in Precinct 4. Recent polls reflected the two candidates were in a virtual dead heat, with Mealer up two points over Hidalgo. . He grew up in Connecticut, graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, and is a die-hard Red Sox fan. "Right now the county judge race is in a . 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.. Hidalgo has been forced to play defense on the issue, with Mealer and other Republicans pointing to a rise in homicides and overall violent crime in Harris County. Power-hungry politicians use our home to scapegoat immigrants, divide citizens and enrich wealthy special interests. Monday, January 31, 2022. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's political future is on the line for 2022. 5 Deputy Corporal Charles Galloway. The balance of the five-member court is at stake in this election, with three incumbents up for re-election in competitive races. "She does seem to evoke strong emotions in either party. Her current term ends on December 31, 2026. Elections Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo throws shade at Mattress Mack, local leaders during victory speech. 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! 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. Kennedy is a reporter at Chron covering all things Houston. 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. Members of her own party also tried to "preserve the status quo," Hidalgo said without naming anyone in particular. 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. 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. Sort of. As Hidalgo's woes multiplied in commissioners court, her political opponent continued to rack up high-dollar contributions from well-heeled conservative donors. The Houston region's high number of homicides, the state's new abortion ban and a flood of campaign . Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo greets her supporters at an primaries election night party at Axelrad Beer Garden, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. Hidalgo has refused campaign contributions from county contractors since the start of her term, aiming to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. Members of Commissioners Court historically have relied heavily on firms that do business with the county to stockpile huge campaign war chests. Hidalgo reported having $2 million in her campaign account, giving her a slight edge over Mealers $1.7 million cash on hand. 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. "Truth won over lies." Their Republican opponents will need runoffs to determine winners. That means our county judge must be ready to lead our community through these challenges and toward a thriving future. 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. Emmett left office in 2019. Alexandra del Moral Mealer, the Republican nominee for Harris County judge, speaking at the press conference at the Harris County DeputiesOrganization in Houston. Since July, Republican donors have poured nearly $9 million into Mealer's bid to unseat Hidalgo a staggering haul for a county judge race. Welcome to the Hidalgo County Elections Department! Alexandra del Moral Mealer and attorney Vidal Martinez were leading the nine-candidate Republican field for the GOPs nomination for county judge. First Day of Early Voting. Shortly before 5 a.m., the early votes and less than half of the 375 voting centers had been reported. First Day to Apply for a Ballot by Mail. 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. Running for Local Offices; Notable Links . 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. 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 each & every voter who showed up to make their voice heard this election. Ellie Torres (D) Hidalgo County Constable Precinct 5. Quick Links. The race for county judge in Harris County is in a statistical dead heat, with Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer leading Democrat Lina Hidalgo by 2% (47% to 45%, with 8% undecided). But that hasn't stopped RGV residents from working together for the things we all need to thrive. She was previously a political reporter with the Texas Signal. another GOP candidate for county judge, called Hidalgo a "formidable campaigner," adding that progressives see her as a key component to flipping Texas blue. And the total number of votes will far surpass the total in 2014, the last time Republicans won countywide seats. piling up against Hidalgo as Election Day approached, campaign contributions thanks in large part to a number of generous GOP donors, three of her top aides were indicted by a grand jury. Her opponent, incumbent county Judge Lina Hidalgo, told ABC13 at the time the numbers were looking better and that Harris County is not alone in battling crime. [Tex. 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. 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. HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas (KVEO) Hidalgo County's judge will seek to keep his position for four more years in 2022. Hidalgo has scoffed at Mealers police hiring pledge, pointing to the countys more than 400 unfilled law enforcement positions. Please check back later for updates. 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. Campaign Finance Reports. "Harris County is still trending blue," Campos said, "and I think with the Dobbs case, the whole abortion case, that's energizing female voters and I think that's going to help out Democrats up and down the ticket.". 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. 2022 Election. For the latest and best fromChron,sign up for our daily newsletter here. Her reporting has aired nationally on NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Here & Now. The Editorial Board. "Hidalgo continues to be the front-runner, primarily because of the makeup of Harris County in terms of partisanship," Cross said. 2022 Candidate's Guide - Running for State, District or County Office; 2020 Candidate's Guide - Running for Federal, State, District or County offices. Release: Hidalgo County Judge Candidates Will Tackle the Biggest Challenges Facing Colonia, RGV Residents at LUPE Candidate Forum. 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. The GOP race to face Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is getting nasty. 10:46 AM CDT October 23, 2022 . A sixth criminal judge, Jason Luong of the 185th district court, also trailed in his election but appeared headed for a runoff. Lina Hidalgo (@LinaHidalgoTX) November 9, 2022. . Hidalgo cited the two Republicans blockade of a new tax rate as justification, saying they endangered vital county services. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office at (956)318-2570. Incumbent Democrat Teneshia Hudspeth will face former County Clerk Stan Stanart in the November general election. 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. She pointed to a recent city-county gun buyback program and county spending aimed at addressing maternal mortality. Sort of. Republican challenger Alexandra del Moral Mealer has conceded her bid to unseat Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, with unofficial results show her trailing by . . Please type your name EXACTLY as it appears on your VOTER REGISTRATION RECORD. 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. Moreover, Patrick confronted Hidalgo at the event and accused her of defunding the police despite increasing the law enforcement budget since 2019. The judge congratulated other candidates who . Updated: Jun 18, 2021 / 01:46 PM CDT. Here is a look at some of her most significant moments of 2022. Mealer said. 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, a Democrat, and Pct. Democratic incumbent Judge Lina Hidalgo will serve another term as county judge for Texas' most populous county after . Commissioner Jack and Janet Cagle, center, at his election night party at Maize's Restaurant in Houston. 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. She's challenging Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo to become the chief executive over county government and head of the Commissioners Court. Texas Ethics Commission . Friday, November 4, 2022. Code 7.104] 2 All State Senate seats are up for election in 2022 following redistricting in 2021. 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, a Republican, do not face election this year. In the GOP primary for county treasurer, Kyle Scott led Eric Dick. Lina Hidalgo (@LinaHidalgoTX) November 9, 2022. 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. HARRIS COUNTY ELECTION UPDATES: Mealer concedes county judge race to Hidalgo. Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo is applauded as she arrives at a primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. VIDEO: Lina Hidalgo and Alexandra Mealer debate Harris County budget, crime and policy. 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.
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