", 'POLITICS OF PERCEPTION': Hidalgo, Harris County Dems hope for boost from abortion, national trends, but races still competitive over crime, economy. 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. Meanwhile, across town at the Kirby Ice House, Mealer said the close margins show voters are paying attention. For any questions regarding your voter information please call the Hidalgo County's Elections Department at (956) 318-2570. . Incumbent Cagle lost his bid for reelection as Harris County Precinct 4 commissioner against Democratic challenger Lesley Briones, a civil court judge. Two candidates are vying for the position of Harris County judge in the upcoming Nov. 8 election with Republican candidate Alexandra del Moral Mealer challenging the incumbent Democratic judge . 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 greets her supporters at a primaries election night party at Axelrad Beer Garden, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. Running for Local Offices; Notable Links . She enjoys binge-watching anime and films makeup tutorials in her spare time. "Because Lina has funded more full-time social workers than she has sheriff deputies.". County Court at Law Judge Lesley Briones and former Harris County elections staffer Benjamin Chou were leading in that race. 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. 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. They asked the federal government for additional vaccine doses due to rising, but still relatively small, numbers of cases. This 10 percentage point lead by . Its rattlesnake season in Texas. Previously, she was a community news and breaking news reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. Hidalgo's camp announced that the Democratic judge will make her victory remarks at the office of the Harris County Democratic Party on Wednesday, though they did not confirm when. Lina Hidalgo reelected as Harris County judge. WINNERS AND LOSERS: Who won, who lost, who's going to a runoff in primary elections across Houston, rest of Texas. Heres what you need to know. That is not guaranteed, though, given the narrow nature of their leads and the in-limbo status of the set-aside ballots. With 205 of 259 precincts reporting in the Democratic primary, Ruben Ramirez was leading in the race for U.S. Representative . If you are running in the March 2022 primaries, we want to hear from you. Del Moral Mealer is running in the Republican primary for Harris County Judge. Bun B, Badu, J.J. Watt celebrate RodeoHouston Southern Takeover, Exclusive: Abbott explains push against diversity hiring programs. What does the data say? Democratic incumbent Judge Lina Hidalgo will serve another term as county judge for Texas' most populous county after . 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 . She assumed office on January 1, 2019. We earned them with hard work and with results over the past four years.". the Hidalgo County health authority, announced he was passing on a campaign for the seat, saying he could . Turnout overall was down 10 percent, but de Leon noted it still marked the second-highest turnout for a midterm election here. 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. Hidalgo took in $1.5 million during the same period, less than a third of Mealers sum, and she was outspent by more than $2 million. 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. 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. EXPLAINER: What you need to know about Lina Hidalgo and Alex Mealer in the race for Harris County judge. Lawyers for the aides have maintained their innocence. The Houston region's high number of homicides, the state's new abortion ban and a flood of campaign . Mar 2, 2022. 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. I want to thank each & every voter who showed up to make their voice heard this election. During the March primaries, incumbent Lina Hidalgo took a huge lead as the Democratic nominee, but the race seems neck-and-neck against Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer . In February, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick criticized Hidalgo for where she decided to stand at the memorial service of slain Harris County Pct. 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. "That is a key priority," Hidalgo said. Shortly before 5 a.m., the early votes and less than half of the 375 voting centers had been reported. He grew up in Connecticut, graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, and is a die-hard Red Sox fan. Hidalgo has maintained that the scandal was a politically motivated attack and has publicly defended her aides. I want to thank each & every voter who showed up to make their voice heard this election. 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, a Democrat, and Pct. 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. Staff members faced charges of misuse of official information and tampering with a government record in connection to a county contract awarded by Hidalgo's office to a local public relations firm to create a county COVID-19 outreach program. Austin, TX, April 22, 2022 Republicans Vidal Martinez and Alexandra del Moral Mealer have hit the campaign trail in what has become a heated runoff race for a chance to replace Democratic incumbent Lina Hidalgo as Harris County judge.. "No one really knows what the county judge does. [Tex. defeat of Republican challenger Alex Mealer in Tuesday's Harris County judge election. . Lin-Manuel Miranda appeared at a rally Tuesday supporting Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo for reelection. Emmett assumed office in 2007. Const. In April, three Hidalgo staff members, including her chief of staff, were indicted for misuse of official information and tampering with government evidence. The local Democratic Party administers the polling locations on Election Day. Hidalgo ( Democratic Party) ran for re-election for Harris County Judge in Texas. Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, 2022. 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 . she shouted to roaring applause. Five lower-ballot Republicans had narrow advantages for criminal or civil court benches, though Democrats were leading in most contests. This is a carousel. Hidalgo's reelection campaign also suffered a blow following an unexpected endorsement from the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board co-signing Mealer. Sam Gonzlez Kelly is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle. We'll ask them about immigration and the border, climate-fueled flooding, broadband internet, and more. Election mishaps and conflicting court rulings introduced a degree of uncertainty about when the results would become official. Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? That fundraising ability allowed Mealer to distribute TV ads hammering home her message that crime is out of control and Hidalgo is to blame. I am committed to working hard every day . Fifteen candidates are vying for the position of Harris County judge in the upcoming . Lina Hidalgo ( Democratic Party) is the Harris County Judge in Texas. In addition to the county judge race, Republican Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle is running against Democrat Lesley Briones, and Democratic Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia is in a rematch with Republican Jack Morman, the former commissioner he narrowly ousted four years ago. Campaign Finance Reports. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo tries to win re-election but faces a challenge from Republican Alexandra . 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. 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 . The County Judge is the presiding officer of the county commissioners court and the head of emergency management. Lina Hidalgo defeated incumbent Ed Emmett and Eric Gatlin in the general election for Harris County Judge on November 6, . Her biggest donor was Richard Weekley, a Houston-based developer and megadonor who contributed $400,000 to Mealers campaign. Republican Harris County Judge candidate Alexandra del Moral Mealer talks to the media as early election results come in at her watch party at Kirby Ice House on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 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. 2022 / 08:13 AM CST . 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. The GOP race to face Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is getting nasty. The spotlight also fueled speculation she could someday run for larger office, both of which made her a primary target for both local and statewide conservatives. She said both local parties, following the secretary of states advice, agreed to seek a court order adjusting the deadline. Hidalgo has scoffed at Mealers police hiring pledge, pointing to the countys more than 400 unfilled law enforcement positions. BY THE NUMBERS: Republicans say violent crime is up, Dems say it's down. Hidalgo also found herself at the center of controversy earlier this year after three of her top aides were indicted by a grand jury. According to election results from 2016 and 2020, Democrats hold a 12-point advantage in Precinct 4. Saturday, January 1, 2022. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. 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