Once again, Lina Hidalgo overcame the odds with a narrow reelection win for Harris County judge—the top elected post in the state’s largest county.
Hidalgo beat her Republican opponent Alex del Moral Mealer by just 15,000 votes, marking one of the lone bright spots in an otherwise disappointing election for Texas Democrats. Republican County Commissioner Jack Cagle was also ousted by Lesley Briones, expanding Democrats’ majority on the county commissioner’s court to 4-1.
In the final stretch, Mealer was seen as the potential—even likely—favorite as Hidalgo had become mired in political corruption scandals, crime concerns, and budget feuds. Mealer vastly outraised the incumbent as GOP megadonors pumped $9 million into her coffers. Mealer and her Republican allies sought to make the race a referendum on crime and police funding in the sprawling county.
