Polls indicate 'dead heat' in race for Harris County judge
HOUSTON - Exactly 120 days out from the November election and a UH-Hobby School polling has incumbent Democrat Lina Hidalgo in a virtual tie for Harris County judge with challenger Alexandra del Moral Mealer.
A Republican, Mealer has the edge in "certain" voters and Hidalgo the narrow advantage in "likely" voters.
"This is about as close to a statistical dead heat as you can get," said Rice political analyst Mark Jones.
A mother, combat veteran, and energy executive, Mealer says the poll findings prove a majority of Harris County voters want constructive change, especially when it comes to crime control..
"How many young people have been killed as innocent bystanders, and we are not doing anything," said Mealer. "People are becoming just numb to it. I don't see how you can look at the current performance of our government, of the complete deterioration of public safety, and say I want four more years of that. I'm very serious about, how do we mobilize the full weight and power of this government to make sure everyone has a safe neighborhood."
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While FOX 26 offered equal time, Hidalgo's campaign opted for a statement.
"Lina Hidalgo has successfully led Harris County through chemical fires, floods, the winter freeze, and a global pandemic – all while overhauling how the County tackles flooding and making record-breaking investments in fighting crime and tackling homelessness," wrote Toni Harrison, Hidalgo campaign spokesperson. "Her leadership is a threat to the far-right Texas establishment, and they will continue to do anything to stop her."
Meantime, Jones says the looming possibility of a criminal charge against Hidalgo in connection to the ongoing bid-rigging scandal could be a game-changer.
"An indictment of Hidalgo between now and November 8th would do serious damage to her candidacy, especially given the fact that Harris County voters place government corruption as the second most important issue when it comes to who their next County Judge should be," said Jones.
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The UH-Hobby School poll also found that while Hidalgo is almost universally recognized, a substantial number of voters are still getting to know Mealer, giving the challenger a significant opportunity to attract additional support.