Against the newcomer, Hidalgo's campaign appeared unworried about Mealer's prospects and trusted voters would secure her position again. 2023 Commissioner's Court Meetings Calendar. . Employees Only. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo saw her most challenging year in politics in 2022. According to the County Administrator's office, the county has added 47 deputies and 12 social workers since 2020. Her reporting has aired nationally on NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Here & Now. 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. 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. Harris County Commissioner Pct. The Editorial Board. Hidalgo County residents and colonia residents in particular are on the frontlines of the biggest challenges facing the nation and the world. Alexandra del Moral Mealer, the Republican nominee for Harris County judge, speaking at the press conference at the Harris County DeputiesOrganization in Houston. 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. During her campaign, Hidalgo said she was also subjected to smears, attacks, and the "dirtiest political tricks" from statewide leaders like Gov. 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. Democratic incumbent Judge Lina Hidalgo will serve another term as county judge for Texas' most populous county after . If Hidalgo holds on to win, she will have overcome an aggressive re-election fight in a hostile political climate for Democrats. 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. 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. 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. The redistricting also cost him familiarity with voters, essentially switching the areas covered by Precincts 3 and 4. 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. In the first post-redistricting election members are divided into two classes; one class shall serve a 2-year term and the other class shall serve a 4-year term. The national environment a key factor in the outcome of the county judge race, political experts say now appears to be shifting back in favor of Republicans. Judge Lina Hidalgo moved the COVID - 19 Threat to Level Orange at Houston Transtar Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Houston. He initially joined the paper through the Hearst Journalism Fellowship program after covering the same beats for the San Antonio Express-News. The board praised her plans to combat violent crime in the county and promises to clear a backlog of criminal cases at the courthouse. 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. 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. Staff writers Samantha Ketterer, Yilun Cheng and Elizabeth Trovall contributed to this report. Vendor Portal . Mealer is trying to take full advantage, blanketing the airwaves with campaign ads and outspending the incumbent overall. Axios on twitter. We'll ask them about immigration and the border, climate-fueled flooding, broadband internet, and more. . 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. . Monday, January 31, 2022. she shouted to roaring applause. 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. another GOP candidate for county judge, called Hidalgo a "formidable campaigner," adding that progressives see her as a key component to flipping Texas blue. Hidalgo cited the two Republicans blockade of a new tax rate as justification, saying they endangered vital county services. Turnout in the top 10 majority Black ZIP codes was down 15 percent from 2018, for example. Democrats thought their 3-2 majority on the Court would make this an easy task and they . The County Judge is the presiding officer of the county commissioners court and the head of emergency management. Climate damage has fueled storms that flood our region. 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. Minerva Diaz (R) Hidalgo County Commissioner Precinct 4. This is a developing story. Tax Rates. She enjoys binge-watching anime and films makeup tutorials in her spare time. 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. Oct. 12, 2022. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioner Adrian Garcia were set to cruise through local primary elections Tuesday night, but a slew of incumbent judges faced bleaker outcomes at the district courthouse. In 2022, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo had the odds stacked against her in a challenging campaign year to keep her top position in the county. 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. She's responsible for emergency management, which means she's in charge when disasters strike, whether that comes in the form of chemical fires, floods, a pandemic or power grid failures during a historic winter storm . The primary election is March 1, 2022. 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. "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. Two family court judges, Tristan Longino of the 245th district court and Barbara Stalder of the 280th, also trailed in early results, along with Scot Dollinger of the 189th district civil court. . In that race, Hidalgo a little-known challenger capitalized on Democratic enthusiasm in a midterm election under a drastically unpopular Republican president. Hidalgo also addressed the millions in campaign contributions her opponent garnered from "far right, Trump mega-donors," while campaigning for office. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Ariana Garcia joined Chron in 2021. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022. 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. The judge congratulated other candidates who . 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 . I am extremely grateful to our supporters and all those who contributed to this campaign. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, This is what Houston looks like from space. 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. Lin-Manuel Miranda appeared at a rally Tuesday supporting Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo . She said both local parties, following the secretary of states advice, agreed to seek a court order adjusting the deadline. Help us ask the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge the challenging questions. Don't elect their candidate for County Judge" or something and avoided a poor fact checking result. Coln, the GOP strategist, said Hidalgo is looking to infuse other cultural issues into the campaign to draw attention away from the fact that she's made Harris County a more dangerous place.. Jasper Scherer covers Texas politics and government for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. The ongoing political showdown over the county's annual budget process has pitted the Mealer and Hidalgo camps firmly against one another, offering voters a clear view of the candidates different visions for the role Harris County government should play. . What does the data say? defeat of Republican challenger Alex Mealer in Tuesday's Harris County judge election. 2022 / 08:13 AM CST . Those two forces are clashing, according to Nancy Sims, a political analyst and lecturer of political science at the University of Houston. Among those trailing are five criminal district court judges: Chuck Silverman, 183rd district court; Abigail Anastasio, 184th; Greg Glass, 208th; and Amy Martin, 263rd. This is a carousel. Its rattlesnake season in Texas. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo tries to win re-election but faces a challenge from Republican Alexandra . Five lower-ballot Republicans had narrow advantages for criminal or civil court benches, though Democrats were leading in most contests. . 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. 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. But for now, her two GOP challengers are busy slashing at each other before the May 24 runoff election. Sort of. First elected to the position in 2018 after narrowly defeating her Republican opponent and former Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, Hidalgo is the first woman and Latina to hold the office. Const. Tensions ran high as the court's two Republican members skipped the meeting, blocking the three Democrats from passing their proposed tax rate unless they agreed to specific terms for funding law enforcement. Eight district court judges and two county court-at-law judges trailed opponents in early returns for the Democratic primary elections, results that figure to introduce a significant amount of turnover on local benches. 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. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Show More Show Less 2 of 2. Ed Emmett (Republican Party) was 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. 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. 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. Quick Links. 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. LUPE is a nonprofit organization that helps the community organize for and win a better quality of life. If you are running in the March 2022 primaries, we want to hear from you. As Hidalgo's woes multiplied in commissioners court, her political opponent continued to rack up high-dollar contributions from well-heeled conservative donors. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. 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. 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. Marie D. De Jess, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer, Bun B, Badu, J.J. Watt celebrate RodeoHouston Southern Takeover, Exclusive: Abbott explains push against diversity hiring programs. She was previously a political reporter with the Texas Signal. "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. LUPE was founded in 1989 by farmworker and civil rights leaders . A new study says yes. I want to thank each & every voter who showed up to make their voice heard this election. HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas (KVEO) Hidalgo County's judge will seek to keep his position for four more years in 2022. The 31-year-old stood in front of supporters applauding and chanting her name at the office of the Harris Democratic 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. 10:46 AM CDT October 23, 2022 . 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. This is a carousel. Incumbent US Rep Sylvia Garcia reacts as she watches televised election returns 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. Power-hungry politicians use our home to scapegoat immigrants, divide citizens and enrich wealthy special interests. In April, three Hidalgo staff members, including her chief of staff, were indicted for misuse of official information and tampering with government evidence. It all started with a viral video by the National Fraternal Order of Police denouncing where Hidalgo stood on the stage particularly close to the family and their elected officials to honor the fallen officer. Alexandra del Moral Mealer and attorney Vidal Martinez were leading the nine-candidate Republican field for the GOPs nomination for county judge. Hidalgo County Clerk. Last Day to Register to Vote. She has been on the ground to cover natural disasters, disease outbreaks, elections and protests, delivering stories to both . The balance of the five-member court is at stake in this election, with three incumbents up for re-election in competitive races. This 10 percentage point lead by . Please type your name EXACTLY as it appears on your VOTER REGISTRATION RECORD. IN THIS EPISODE: Alexandra Del Moral Mealer, the GOP Candidate running for Harris County Judge, talks about what led to her jump on the campaign trail with a goal to unseat incumbent candidate . 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. ", Yesterday, the people of Harris County chose optimism over fear & people over politics. DIRECTORY. 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 . 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. Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? 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. Recent polls reflected the two candidates were in a virtual dead heat, with Mealer up two points over Hidalgo. Like most other candidates, Mealer is accepting campaign donations from county contractors. Incumbent Cagle lost his bid for reelection as Harris County Precinct 4 commissioner against Democratic challenger Lesley Briones, a civil court judge. 05/09/2022 01:51 PM EDT. Hidalgo's victory helped secure a 4-1 Democratic majority on the court that was sealed after former civil court judge Lesley Briones beat incumbent Republican commissioner Jack Cagle for the Precinct 4 seat. The result: Cagles Republican-leaning precinct became a Democratic-leaning one. Democratic incumbent Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer addressed voters in Houston. 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. Lina Hidalgo, a progressive Democrat who leads the county that includes Houston, is facing an unexpectedly serious re-election challenge from a Republican first-time candidate, Alexandra del Moral . 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.
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