She enjoys binge-watching anime and films makeup tutorials in her spare time. 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. Power-hungry politicians use our home to scapegoat immigrants, divide citizens and enrich wealthy special interests. Members of her own party also tried to "preserve the status quo," Hidalgo said without naming anyone in particular. They attributed the delay to damaged ballot sheets that must be duplicated before they can be scanned by counting machines, according to Secretary of State John Scotts office. On Twitter Wednesday morning, Hidalgo celebrated her win, tweeting: "Yesterday, the people of Harris County chose optimism over fear & people over politics. Hidalgo also faced more specific challenges, including her fundraising disadvantage and a corruption probe. A look back at Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's biggest moments of 2022. From attacks by Texas Republicans, charges filed . Taken on September 7, 2022. Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? What does the data say? You can't just look the other way on so many issues.". 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. That's why tonight we are hosting a forum with the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge in the Democratic Party Primary. . Former Army Capt. 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. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Show More Show Less 2 of 2. The board praised her plans to combat violent crime in the county and promises to clear a backlog of criminal cases at the courthouse. And there is something for us to do. FOX 26 Houston. 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. 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 . Mealer's tough-on-crime campaign also spotlighted these accusations, framing the 31-year-old incumbent as an adversary of local law enforcement. 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. "No one really knows what the county judge does. And the pandemic is deepened inequality and exacerbated existing divisions. Many pundits have said these races are too close to call, and early vote returns reflect that these races are tight, Sims said. Jaime E. Galvan 11/8/2022. Jasper Scherer covers Texas politics and government for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. Before coming to the Chronicle, Jen spent three years covering City Hall for Houston's NPR station. Vendor Portal . Democratic incumbent Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer addressed voters in Houston. Tax Rates. The redistricting also cost him familiarity with voters, essentially switching the areas covered by Precincts 3 and 4. See also: Municipal elections in Harris County, Texas (2022) General election. In that race, Hidalgo a little-known challenger capitalized on Democratic enthusiasm in a midterm election under a drastically unpopular Republican president. Turnout overall was down 10 percent, but de Leon noted it still marked the second-highest turnout for a midterm election here. 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. That means our county judge must be ready to lead our community through these challenges and toward a thriving future. Texas 2022 Elections Texas' 2022 races coming into focus as candidate filings close. 05/09/2022 01:51 PM EDT. 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. Lina Hidalgo, a rising Democratic star, faces a tough reelection race to lead Harris County. 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. Those two forces are clashing, according to Nancy Sims, a political analyst and lecturer of political science at the University of Houston. Texas 2022 Elections GOP Harris County judge candidate contesting her loss after . 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. 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 . Where do the candidates for Hidalgo County Judge stand on the biggest challenges facing colonia residents and the Rio Grande Valley? She's facing challengers . We need more vaccine, Turner said. ", Thank you to all those who supported our campaign for good governance pic.twitter.com/ZnjLvtQVTO. Democrat Lina Hidalgo has secured a second term as Harris County Judge, defeating her Republican challenger Alex Mealer in a highly contested race for the head of the county's governing body. Staff writers Samantha Ketterer, Yilun Cheng and Elizabeth Trovall contributed to this report. His statement went on to layout the penalty a class B misdemeanor for failing to meet the deadline. Daniel Marichalar (D) Hidalgo County Criminal District Attorney. 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. ELECTION CALENDAR DATES. 2022 Wave elections; In February, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick criticized Hidalgo for where she decided to stand at the memorial service of slain Harris County Pct. The last-minute celebrity endorsements were one of Hidalgos last campaign moves before the Nov. 8 election. The judge congratulated other candidates who . Hidalgo appeared to gain some breathing room over the summer, when public backlash to the Supreme Courts scrapping of Roe v Wade provided a boost to Democrats around the country. 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 . "She does seem to evoke strong emotions in either party. Heres what you need to know. 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. the Hidalgo County health authority, announced he was passing on a campaign for the seat, saying he could . Her current term ends on December 31, 2026. Here is a look at some of her most significant moments of 2022. "That is a key priority," Hidalgo said. Lina Hidalgo ( Democratic Party) is the Harris County Judge in Texas. Dozens of supporters for Alexandra del Moral Mealer, the Republican candidate challenging Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, packed the room at the Sept. 13 meeting of Commissioners Court, each wearing "Alex's Army" T-shirts and loudly scoffing when Hidalgo spoke. Her reporting has aired nationally on NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Here & Now. Her opponent, Republican challenge . Heres what you need to know. Previously, she was a community news and breaking news reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. In the Precinct 4 Commissioner's race, Lesley Briones, the Democratic challenger to Republican incumbent Jack Cagle, had 121,391 votes (51.62 percent) to Cagle's 113,774 (48.38 percent). Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer, Gary Fountain/Contributor. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo greets her supporters at an primaries election night party at Axelrad Beer Garden, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Houston. 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. Lina Hidalgo (@LinaHidalgoTX) November 9, 2022. 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 . Mar 2, 2022. piling up against Hidalgo as Election Day approached, campaign contributions thanks in large part to a number of generous GOP donors, three of her top aides were indicted by a grand jury. He joined the Hearst Austin bureau in 2021 after nearly three years as a City Hall reporter for the Chronicle and a prior stint covering Bexar County for the Express-News. 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 . 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. The vote totals confirmed just how hotly contested the local races were. Against the newcomer, Hidalgo's campaign appeared unworried about Mealer's prospects and trusted voters would secure her position again. "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." 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. In April, three Hidalgo staff members, including her chief of staff, were indicted for misuse of official information and tampering with government evidence. 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. They asked the federal government for additional vaccine doses due to rising, but still relatively small, numbers of cases. 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. 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 . According to Harris County officials, Patrick told Hidalgo to sit down and shut up multiple times at the funeral. Hidalgo County Elections Department administers the polling locations in the early voting period. Members shall draw lots to determine who serves which terms. Recent polls reflected the two candidates were in a virtual dead heat, with Mealer up two points over Hidalgo. 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.. 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. 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. As Hidalgo's woes multiplied in commissioners court, her political opponent continued to rack up high-dollar contributions from well-heeled conservative donors. 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. Commissioner Jack and Janet Cagle, center, at his election night party at Maize's Restaurant in Houston. Onward! 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. 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. 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. Please check back later for updates. Registered Voters as of February 27, 2023 Total 412,899. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo looks back at Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner before they gave a joint press conference about growing Monkeypox infections Monday, July 25, 2022, at Houston TranStar headquarters in Houston. 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. Candidate for Harris County Judge Alexandra del Moral Mealer poses for a photo Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, at the Houston Chronicle offices in Houston. We earned them with hard work and with results over the past four years.". Marie D. De Jess/Staff photographer . Republican challenger Alexandra del Moral Mealer has conceded her bid to unseat Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, with unofficial results show her trailing by just shy of 16,000 votes. 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 community has a position on these issues, and they want to know their leader's position. She has created a political base around her campaign to make her race one of the most important and contested races in the state.. Search Texas Monthly 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!