Q&A with Harris County judge candidate Alexandra Mealer. Cagle was unopposed on the Republican side. Hidalgo defeats Mealer in Harris County judge race 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. 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. County Judge | Hidalgo County, TX - Official Website Its rattlesnake season in Texas. 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, a Republican, do not face election this year. In the four years since her upset victory thrust her into office as a 27-year-old newcomer, Hidalgo has reimagined the boundaries of county government, reaching beyond its traditional focus on public safety and flood control to also address such issues as childhood development, immigration and environmental control. On Twitter Wednesday morning, Hidalgo celebrated her win, tweeting: "Yesterday, the people of Harris County chose optimism over fear & people over politics. 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. 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. Emmett (Republican Party) . Across race and background, we are uniting to demand those who govern in our name to provide the things all working people need: Education that teaches us about our past while preparing us for the future. I also want to thank Ms. Mealer for a hard-fought campaign & her military service. Hidalgo also faced more specific challenges, including her fundraising disadvantage and a corruption probe. Welcome to the Hidalgo County Elections Department! Hidalgo's staffers being charged in 2022 with helping . She's facing challengers . The redistricting also cost him familiarity with voters, essentially switching the areas covered by Precincts 3 and 4. 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. Kennedy is a reporter at Chron covering all things Houston. New Poll Shows Republican Mealer Up Four Over Democratic Harris County Attendees of Republican Harris County Judge candidate Alexandra del Moral Mealer watch as the election results come in on the television during her watch party at Kirby Ice House on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in Houston. Commissioner Jack and Janet Cagle, center, at his election night party at Maize's Restaurant in Houston. . Hidalgo County Judge Candidates Will Tackle the Biggest - LUPE Texas Ethics Commission . 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. GOP Harris County judge candidate contesting her loss after Election "I want to thank her for her concession and I want to thank her again for her service to our country so let's give her a round of applause." 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. Mealer's tough-on-crime campaign also spotlighted these accusations, framing the 31-year-old incumbent as an adversary of local law enforcement. 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. 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. Five lower-ballot Republicans had narrow advantages for criminal or civil court benches, though Democrats were leading in most contests. They answered questions from the . In an interview, Mealer acknowledged Trump lost the 2020 election and said that, barring any obvious evidence of impropriety, she would accept the results in November if she loses. It doesn't need to be that way. Despite the odds seemingly piling up against Hidalgo as Election Day approached, the 31-year-old Democrat still managed to come out on top. Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria said some paper ballots got wrinkled and jammed, but most votes would be counted on time. 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. Registered Voters as of February 27, 2023 Total 412,899. Q&A: Get to know the Republican candidates for Harris County judge Rest assured that I take, very seriously, the responsibility to serve all of Hidalgo County. "My opponent will often say, well, none of these are county issues," Hidalgo said. Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? District Clerk Marilyn Burgess led her Democratic challenger in the early returns. And the total number of votes will far surpass the total in 2014, the last time Republicans won countywide seats. 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 scoffed at Mealers police hiring pledge, pointing to the countys more than 400 unfilled law enforcement positions. That's why tonight we are hosting a forum with the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge in the Democratic Party Primary. 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. 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. The poll released by the UH Hobby School of Public Affairs shows Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo at 48% among likely . Hidalgo reported having $2 million in her campaign account, giving her a slight edge over Mealers $1.7 million cash on hand. Harris County General Election 2022 - University of Houston Turnout in the top 10 majority Black ZIP codes was down 15 percent from 2018, for example. Lina Hidalgo could be Democrats' future in Texas. She has - POLITICO Harris County election results 2022: County judge, commissioners Onward! 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. Democratic Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, left, is facing a challenge from Republican Alexandra Moral del Mealer. Hidalgo has maintained that the scandal was a politically motivated attack and has publicly defended her aides. That means all votes cast between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. are being set aside until the high court decides whether they're legitimate and can be counted. 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. 2022 General Election & Local Entities Election | Hidalgo County, TX "She does seem to evoke strong emotions in either party. . Hidalgo County primary election unofficial results Jack Cagle is running against Democrat Lesley Briones. WINNERS AND LOSERS: Who won, who lost, who's going to a runoff in primary elections across Houston, rest of Texas. Jay R. Jordan; Axios on facebook. . She has been on the ground to cover natural disasters, disease outbreaks, elections and protests, delivering stories to both . If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office at (956)318-2570. "To the naysayers who think I'll be intimidated by conspiracy theories or by bullying or by political prosecutionsbring it on!" 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 . LUPE is a nonprofit organization that helps the community organize for and win a better quality of life. 'This Week In Texas' puts spotlight on Harris County Judge's race Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez will seek re-election in 2022 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 talks to her supporters at an primaries election night party, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. The two emerged as victors in a nine-person primary election last month, with Mealer capturing 29 percent to Martinez's 26 percent. Before coming to the Chronicle, Jen spent three years covering City Hall for Houston's NPR station. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022. Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Received, not Postmarked) Friday, February 18, 2022. Hidalgo drew support from 45%. ", 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. Mid-year campaign finance reports for Harris County judge race - impact 'Mattress Mack' endorses GOP opponent of Lina Hidalgo for county judge Heres what you need to know. As many of you know, I am not a stranger to public service. Monday, February 14, 2022. Lina Hidalgo and Alexandra Mealer debate Harris County issues Axios on linkedin. Adrian Garcia is in a rematch with Republican Jack Morman, Lina Hidalgo and Alexandra Mealer debate Harris County budget, crime and policy, appeared to gain some breathing room over the summer, What you need to know about Lina Hidalgo and Alex Mealer in the race for Harris County judge, refused campaign contributions from county contractors, have relied heavily on firms that do business with the county, has raised millions from small-dollar donors, Hidalgo, Harris County Dems hope for boost from abortion, national trends, but races still competitive over crime, economy.