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. Campaign finance reports also showed Mealer outraised Hidalgo with $10 million in the campaign chest. Heres what you need to know. Espaol / English. They answered questions from the . 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. Many pundits have said these races are too close to call, and early vote returns reflect that these races are tight, Sims said. "Hidalgo continues to be the front-runner, primarily because of the makeup of Harris County in terms of partisanship," Cross said. First Day of Early Voting. She enjoys traveling and reading romance novels. Judges at the courthouse quickly encountered trouble in those unofficial returns. 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 . Tax Rates. Please check back later for updates. Published March 1, 2022. Republicans say violent crime is up, Dems say it's down. Those showed potentially ominous trends for strongholds in the traditional Democratic coalition. "But we earned every vote and not with exaggerations or falsehoods. 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 . Hidalgo ( Democratic Party) ran for re-election for Harris County Judge in Texas. 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. 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. Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo is applauded as she arrives at a primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. Jack Cagle is running against Democrat Lesley Briones. I want to thank each & every voter who showed up to make their voice heard this election. She has defended the staffers, who are accused of steering a vaccine outreach contract to a politically connected vendor. For several election cycles, Houston-area voters have favored Democrats over Republicans. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office at (956)318-2570. . Democratic Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, left, is facing a challenge from Republican Alexandra Moral del Mealer. The intense exchange was just one of many instances in which the lieutenant governor has openly rejected Hidalgo. STAY IN THE KNOW, by visiting our website in the next couple of days. 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. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. In February, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick criticized Hidalgo for where she decided to stand at the memorial service of slain Harris County Pct. 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. See also: Municipal elections in Harris County, Texas (2022) General election. Fifteen candidates are vying for the position of Harris County judge in the upcoming . He grew up in Connecticut, graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, and is a die-hard Red Sox fan. . 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, a Republican, do not face election this year. Hidalgo County Clerk. Lina Hidalgo defeated incumbent Ed Emmett and Eric Gatlin in the general election for Harris County Judge on November 6, . Hidalgo County Courthouse 100 North Closner. ), LIVE RESULTS TRACKER: Texas 2022 midterm elections: Live results from Abbott vs. Beto, Hidalgo vs. Mealer and more. According to the County Administrator's office, the county has added 47 deputies and 12 social workers since 2020. Please type your name EXACTLY as it appears on your VOTER REGISTRATION RECORD. Release: Hidalgo County Judge Candidates Will Tackle the Biggest Challenges Facing Colonia, RGV Residents at LUPE Candidate Forum. 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, a Democrat, and Pct. 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. But the ad could have said "Mealer refuses to oppose Abbott's extreme abortion ban," or even "Texas Republicans support Abbott's extreme abortion ban. Power-hungry politicians use our home to scapegoat immigrants, divide citizens and enrich wealthy special interests. Rest assured that I take, very seriously, the responsibility to serve all of Hidalgo County. The board praised her plans to combat violent crime in the county and promises to clear a backlog of criminal cases at the courthouse. "To the extent we work on these issues that affect us all, all of us will do better. Jay R. Jordan; Axios on facebook. Harris County Commissioner Pct. Our nation is too divided right now and it's been divided for too many years," Hidalgo said. Elections Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo throws shade at Mattress Mack, local leaders during victory speech. Early voting will begin Monday, October 24, 2022 and will run through. Monday, February 14, 2022. And there is something for us to do. He initially joined the paper through the Hearst Journalism Fellowship program after covering the same beats for the San Antonio Express-News. Politics A new poll shows the Harris County Judge's race is neck-and-neck. Particularly among the Democrats, she remains very popular.". Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke is leading . Jasper Scherer covers Texas politics and government for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. Onward! Lawyers for the aides have maintained their innocence. Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? Minerva Diaz (R) Hidalgo County Commissioner Precinct 4. Harris County judgeLina Hidalgotalks to her supporters at a primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. Heres what you need to know. 10:46 AM CDT October 23, 2022 . Updated: Jun 18, 2021 / 01:46 PM CDT. In this one, Mealer is hoping to achieve the same feat, only with the parties swapped. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your County Judge. Lina Hidalgo ( Democratic Party) is the Harris County Judge in Texas. 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. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton challenged it after Rogers' ruling, prompting the intervention by the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court. As many of you know, I am not a stranger to public service. But that hasn't stopped RGV residents from working together for the things we all need to thrive. Recent polls reflected the two candidates were in a virtual dead heat, with Mealer up two points over Hidalgo. . The County Judge is the presiding officer of the county commissioners court and the head of emergency management. BY THE NUMBERS: Republicans say violent crime is up, Dems say it's down. 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. Climate damage has fueled storms that flood our region. 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 . . 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. Lin-Manuel Miranda appeared at a rally Tuesday supporting Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo . That means our county judge must be ready to lead our community through these challenges and toward a thriving future. 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. Hidalgo drew support from 45%. 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. "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. . Procedures for Candidates, 2019-2021. That fundraising ability allowed Mealer to distribute TV ads hammering home her message that crime is out of control and Hidalgo is to blame. "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.". Along her campaign trail, Hidalgo amassed the support of celebrities like Hamilton playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, Chicago rapper and actor Common, and actress Jane Fonda, who block-walked with her in Houston last month. WINNERS AND LOSERS: Who won, who lost, who's going to a runoff in primary elections across Houston, rest of Texas. 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 . Staff writers Samantha Ketterer, Yilun Cheng and Elizabeth Trovall contributed to this report. 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. Is Whataburger healthy? She's facing challengers . A new study says yes. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo saw her most challenging year in politics in 2022. Ballotpedia's 2022 elections analysis. Terry Palacios wins Democratic nomination in Hidalgo County district attorney race, unofficial election results show 1 year 13 hours 11 minutes ago Tuesday, March 01 2022 Mar 1, 2022 March 01 . What does the data say? 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. Dylan McGuinness covers City Hall and local politics for the Houston Chronicle. The primary election is March 1, 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. This is a carousel. According to Harris County officials, Patrick told Hidalgo to sit down and shut up multiple times at the funeral. "Elections should not be about pitting one group against each other. Here is a look at some of her most significant moments of 2022. Kennedy is a reporter at Chron covering all things Houston. Judge Lina Hidalgo moved the COVID - 19 Threat to Level Orange at Houston Transtar Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Houston. Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, 2022. 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. 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. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. As Hidalgo's woes multiplied in commissioners court, her political opponent continued to rack up high-dollar contributions from well-heeled conservative donors. Hidalgo-Mealer county judge race is a showdown over Harris County budget and its role in voters' eyes, Timeline: How battle between Houston ISD, TEA has reached the point of a looming takeover. 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. ", 'POLITICS OF PERCEPTION': Hidalgo, Harris County Dems hope for boost from abortion, national trends, but races still competitive over crime, economy. The last-minute celebrity endorsements were one of Hidalgos last campaign moves before the Nov. 8 election. 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. Before coming to the Chronicle, Jen spent three years covering City Hall for Houston's NPR station. Throughout her reelection campaign, Hidalgo faced an onslaught of criticism from state Republicans, including Gov. Join ABC13's political reporter Tom Abrahams as he talks with Democrat County Judge Lina Hidalgo and her Republican opponent, Alexandra del Moral Mealer, about this November's general election. Del Moral Mealer is running in the Republican primary for Harris County Judge. The GOP race to face Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is getting nasty. ", "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. 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. 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. Hidalgo also faced more specific challenges, including her fundraising disadvantage and a corruption probe. 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. Dan Patrick, as well as her fellow commissioners Jack Cagle and Tom Ramsey. 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. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. That is not guaranteed, though, given the narrow nature of their leads and the in-limbo status of the set-aside ballots. Ellie Torres (D) Hidalgo County Constable Precinct 5. LUPE is a nonprofit organization that helps the community organize for and win a better quality of life. 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 . LUPE was founded in 1989 by farmworker and civil rights leaders Cesar E. Chavez and Dolores Huerta. Both partys candidates for county clerk the office that ran elections in Harris County until Commissioners Court gave that duty to an independent administrator ran unopposed. Onward! A new study says yes. Incumbents in more high-profile local posts, namely Hidalgo and Garcia, fared better. 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. 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, Who won, who lost, who's going to a runoff in primary elections across Houston, rest of Texas, 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. Cagle was unopposed on the Republican side. "Because Lina has funded more full-time social workers than she has sheriff deputies.". 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. Elections Harris County election results 2022: County judge, commissioners, propositions. Democratic incumbent Judge Lina Hidalgo will serve another term as county judge for Texas' most populous county after . Who won and who lost in the 2022 midterm elections across Houston and rest of Texas? You can't just look the other way on so many issues.". The court last year redrew both precincts to favor Democrats. 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.