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Search Texas Monthly 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. 2022 Wave elections; McGuinness previously covered the Rhode Island statehouse for the Associated Press and breaking news for the Boston Globe. Hidalgo also faced more specific challenges, including her fundraising disadvantage and a corruption probe. Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo is applauded as she arrives at a primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. We earned them with hard work and with results over the past four years.". Politics A new poll shows the Harris County Judge's race is neck-and-neck. In this one, Mealer is hoping to achieve the same feat, only with the parties swapped. Hidalgos Republican opponent, Alexandra del Moral Mealer raised 4x the amount of fundraising money in her bid. They answered questions from the . Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? She's facing challengers . This is a carousel. Saturday, January 1, 2022. In the GOP primary for county treasurer, Kyle Scott led Eric Dick. 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. 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. The GOP race to face Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is getting nasty. Hidalgo has held the position since defeating then-incumbent and longtime County . She has defended the staffers, who are accused of steering a vaccine outreach contract to a politically connected vendor. Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo during a COVID-19 press conference in July 2021. 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. If you are running in the March 2022 primaries, we want to hear from you. Election mishaps and conflicting court rulings introduced a degree of uncertainty about when the results would become official. WHAT: Candidate Forum for Hidalgo County Judge in the Democratic Party Primary, Candidates: Richard Cortez (incumbent), Norma Ramirez, Tania Ramirez, Sponsors: La Unin del Pueblo Entero and LUPE Votes. This is a carousel. A new study says yes. . Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, 2022. 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. Judge Lina Hidalgo moved the COVID - 19 Threat to Level Orange at Houston Transtar Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Houston. We are a membership-based organization and our strength is found in the participation of our over eight thousand members. 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. Texas 2022 Elections Texas' 2022 races coming into focus as candidate filings close. And Mealer, 38, a retired Army veteran, ran a spirited campaign arguing that Hidalgo has forsaken public safety in the name of extracurricular goals. 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. "Because Lina has funded more full-time social workers than she has sheriff deputies.". Employees Only. Hidalgo County Clerk. Despite seeing a barrage of criticisms . "They do that to get you talking about everything but Harris County. 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 and other Democrats hoped that firewall would help them stave off challenges in a race where their contests appear in the latter pages of a drawn-out ballot. Moreover, Patrick confronted Hidalgo at the event and accused her of defunding the police despite increasing the law enforcement budget since 2019. 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. 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. 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. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is applauded as she arrives to a primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. That's because Harris County District Court Judge Dawn Rogers prompted by a lawsuit alleging that some people were denied election access because of poor planning that led to late opening times at some voting centers signed an order on Tuesday evening keeping all polling places open one hour later, until 8 p.m., only to have the Texas Supreme Court stay her order in the evening. HARRIS COUNTY ELECTION UPDATES: Mealer concedes county judge race to Hidalgo. Lin-Manuel Miranda appeared at a rally Tuesday supporting Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo for reelection. I sincerely appreciate your vote of confidence in electing me. A new poll released by Defend Texas Liberty PAC shows Republican candidate Alex Mealer with a four-point lead over Democrat incumbent Lina Hidalgo in the contentious race for Harris County judge. Ellie Torres (D) Hidalgo County Constable Precinct 5. On Twitter Wednesday morning, Hidalgo celebrated her win, tweeting: "Yesterday, the people of Harris County chose optimism over fear & people over politics. A new study says yes. A first-time political candidate, Mealer ran a tough on crime campaign against the Democratic incumbent, criticizing Hidalgo for the countys crime rate and stumping on issues of public safety. "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. Democratic Precinct 2 commissioner Adrian Garcia's, 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. "With crime rising, is the focus increasing deputies or is it increasing social workers?" 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. Throughout her reelection campaign, Hidalgo faced an onslaught of criticism from state Republicans, including Gov. Another candidate for county judge is McAllen City Commissioner Tania Ramirez. ", "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. Hidalgos Republican opponent, Alexandra del Moral Mealer raised 4x the amount of fundraising money in her bid. 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. HOUSTON Lina Hidalgo, the progressive Democrat who leads Texas's largest county, which includes Houston, narrowly won re-election despite a well-funded effort by a Republican . I want to thank each & every voter who showed up to make their voice heard this election. After briefly looking down and taking a pause, Hidalgo continued: "But y'all, didn't I say it would be a sweet victory?". . Like most other candidates, Mealer is accepting campaign donations from county contractors. Hidalgo also addressed the millions in campaign contributions her opponent garnered from "far right, Trump mega-donors," while campaigning for office. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's political future is on the line for 2022. Jay R. Jordan; Axios on facebook. Procedures for Candidates, 2019-2021. 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. 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. Mealer is trying to take full advantage, blanketing the airwaves with campaign ads and outspending the incumbent overall. 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. Hidalgo reported having $2 million in her campaign account, giving her a slight edge over Mealers $1.7 million cash on hand. The vote totals confirmed just how hotly contested the local races were. Her biggest donor was Richard Weekley, a Houston-based developer and megadonor who contributed $400,000 to Mealers campaign. The vote intention in the race for Harris County judge is 52% for Democrat Lina Hidalgo and 42% for Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer, with 6% undecided. He grew up in Connecticut, graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, and is a die-hard Red Sox fan. She enjoys traveling and reading romance novels. the Hidalgo County health authority, announced he was passing on a campaign for the seat, saying he could . November 8, 2022 General Election & Local Entities Elections. The last-minute celebrity endorsements were one of Hidalgos last campaign moves before the Nov. 8 election. The redistricting also cost him familiarity with voters, essentially switching the areas covered by Precincts 3 and 4. 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. Hidalgo's conservative commissioners court colleagues have accused the judge of "defunding the police," a claim she has fiercely denied. The Houston Chronicle's editorial board makes an endorsement for the Harris County judge that can be considered crucial in the tight race. Incumbent Cagle lost his bid for reelection as Harris County Precinct 4 commissioner against Democratic challenger Lesley Briones, a civil court judge. Against the newcomer, Hidalgo's campaign appeared unworried about Mealer's prospects and trusted voters would secure her position again. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 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. 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. District Clerk Marilyn Burgess led her Democratic challenger in the early returns. STAY IN THE KNOW, by visiting our website in the next couple of days. I am committed to working hard every day . 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. Attendees reacts as they watch televised election returns from the bar 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. Daniel Marichalar (D) Hidalgo County Criminal District Attorney. 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. Rest assured that I take, very seriously, the responsibility to serve all of Hidalgo County. 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. 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. 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. Emmett left office in 2019. "No one really knows what the county judge does. Dylan McGuinness covers City Hall and local politics for the Houston Chronicle. 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. 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! In April, three Hidalgo staff members, including her chief of staff, were indicted for misuse of official information and tampering with government evidence. 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. Among those trailing are five criminal district court judges: Chuck Silverman, 183rd district court; Abigail Anastasio, 184th; Greg Glass, 208th; and Amy Martin, 263rd. 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. Editor's Note: Calling all Rio Grande Valley candidates. "To the extent we work on these issues that affect us all, all of us will do better. 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. 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. Welcome to the Hidalgo County Elections Department! Dylan McGuinness covers City Hall and local politics for the Houston Chronicle. He initially joined the paper through the Hearst Journalism Fellowship program after covering the same beats for the San Antonio Express-News. During a hotly contested primary, she won endorsements from key members of the Harris County Republican establishment, including Precinct 5 Constable Ted Heap, former commissioner Steve Radackand popular furniture magnate Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale. Democratic incumbent Judge Lina Hidalgo will serve another term as county judge for Texas' most populous county after . Jen Rice is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle covering Harris County government. 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. Another administrative incumbent, Harris County Treasurer Dylan Osborne, appeared headed for defeat as well, trailing challenger Carla Wyatt. She has created a political base around her campaign to make her race one of the most important and contested races in the state.. "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. Climate damage has fueled storms that flood our region. 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! Its rattlesnake season in Texas. Houston still trails well behind other big cities around the country, many of which experienced a sharper rise in violent crime. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke is leading . 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.. As County judge, she oversees an annual budget of $4.3 billion with four other County commissioners (who all happen to be men). Elections 2022 Election Guide: Harris County and Texas races to watch . 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. Her opponent, Republican challenge .