Lina Hidalgo
County Judge of Harris County
Assumed office
January 1, 2019
Preceded byEd Emmett
Personal details
Born (1991-02-19) February 19, 1991
Bogotá, Colombia
Political partyDemocratic
EducationStanford University (BA)

Lina Maria Hidalgo (born February 19, 1991) is an American politician in the state of Texas. She is the county judge of Harris County, the third-most populous county in the United States.[1] Hidalgo is the first woman and the first Latina to be elected to this office. Notwithstanding the label, the position of county judge is for the most part a nonjudicial position in Texas.[2] Hidalgo functions as the county's chief executive and its emergency manager.[3] She oversees a budget of over $4 billion.[4]

Early life and career

Hidalgo was born in Bogota, Colombia, on February 19, 1991. Her family left Colombia when she was five years old, and lived in Peru and Mexico City before moving to Houston, Texas when she was 15.[5][1]

Hidalgo graduated from Seven Lakes High School in Katy, Texas, and then attended Stanford University, graduating with a degree in political science in 2013.[5][1] Her honors thesis was titled "Tiananmen or Tahrir? A Comparative Study of Military Intervention Against Popular Protest."[1]

That same year, Hidalgo became a U.S. citizen.[6][7][8][9] Upon graduation from Stanford, Hidalgo received the Omidyar Network Postgraduate Fellowship to work with an international organization.[10] She moved to Thailand, where she worked for the Internews Network, an international nonprofit dedicated to training journalists and advocating for press freedom.[7]

After returning to the U.S., Hidalgo worked as a medical interpreter at the Texas Medical Center in Houston and volunteered for the Texas Civil Rights Project.[11][12][13] During this time, she was accepted into the MPP/JD joint program at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government and New York University School of Law, respectively. Though Hidalgo originally planned to pursue a career in health care and criminal justice, the 2016 election inspired her to put her academic ambitions on hold and run for public office instead.[14][9]

County Judge of Harris County

2018 election

Hidalgo ran for County Judge of Harris County in the 2018 elections. She was unopposed in the Democratic Party primary election and faced incumbent Ed Emmett in the general election. Hidalgo ran on a platform focused on flood control, criminal justice reform, and increasing transparency and accountability in local government.[15] She defeated Emmett on November 6, becoming the first woman and Latina elected to the office of Harris County Judge. Her victory was considered an upset and attracted national attention, with a large and diverse coalition of activists and organizations leading her to a narrow 19,400-vote victory.[13] The election also switched majority control of Harris County Commissioners Court, over which Hidalgo presides, from Republicans to Democrats.

Tenure

Hidalgo with President Joe Biden at the White House

Hidalgo championed misdemeanor cash bail reform in Harris County.[1][16]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hidalgo implemented public health measures early in an attempt to halt the spread of the coronavirus.[1] In March 2020, she ordered the closure of bars and restaurants.[1] In April 2020, Hidalgo required Harris County members to wear face masks in public.[1] Republicans at the state and federal level strongly criticized her public health measures.[1] Governor Greg Abbott said that local officials could not enforce mask mandates.[1] By June, as cases in Texas climbed, Abbott ordered his own face mask mandate.[1]

Hidalgo appeared in video montages during the 2020 Democratic National Convention.[17]

Hidalgo has been credited with making voting easier in Harris County during the 2020 Texas elections and with increasing turnout among lower-propensity voters. By October 30, 2020 (the Thursday before election day), more votes had been cast in Texas than the entire number cast in the 2016 United States presidential election in Texas.[18]

Hidalgo has filed a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Transportation to stop the expansion of Interstate 45 through Houston. Because of her intervention, the federal government is investigating whether this proposed expansion, which could increase pollution and relocate people, violates any environmental and civil rights laws.[19][20] The County later paused the lawsuit to negotiate with TxDOT.[21]

In December 2019, Hidalgo was named one of Forbes 30 under 30 in Law and Policy.[22]

Alleged bid rigging

In March 2021, concerns were raised over a contract awarded to Elevate Strategies, a company that was hired to do COVID-19 vaccine outreach. The company had only one employee and was run out of an apartment in the city. Hidalgo and county commissioners allegedly had ties to Elevate Strategies. Mark Jones of Rice University said, "This was an RFP [request for proposal] that was wired from the very start to go to Elevate Strategies to provide political money for Lina Hidalgo's supporters". Hidalgo responded, "Y’all bring it on! Bring it on! Because there is nothing here." In September 2021, the county terminated the $11 million contract.[23][24] In April 2022, three of Hidalgo's staffers were indicted by the Harris County District Attorney.[25] On November 9, 2023, the Texas Rangers issued three more search warrants in the ongoing investigation and the Rangers opened a new public corruption investigation into Hidalgo’s office to locate records they believe were not disclosed, possibly destroyed, in prior investigations.[25]

2022 election

Hidalgo defeated her opponent, Alexandra del Moral Mealer, by a margin of around 18,000 votes out of 1 million votes cast (50.8% to 49.2%).[26][27] Mealer filed a lawsuit in an attempt to overturn the results, but dropped the lawsuit ten months later.[28]

Bilingual constituency relations

Hidalgo was criticized after a March 2019 news conference in which she spoke in English and Spanish about the health implications of a massive chemical fire. She was addressing constituents and reporters from English- and Spanish-language media outlets. A Chambers County commissioner posted on social media: "English, this is not Mexico."[29][30]

In response, Hidalgo's director of communications issued a statement noting that a third of Harris County residents are Spanish speakers:

Judge Hidalgo represents all of Harris County and given the county's composition and her bilingual skills, she will continue to communicate as broadly as possible especially when public safety is at stake.[30]

Recognition

Hidalgo was featured on the cover of Time in January 2018 alongside dozens of other women who ran for office in one of the biggest elections for women.[31]

Personal life

Hidalgo's boyfriend, David James, works as a civil rights and personal injury attorney. She completed an Ironman Triathlon in November 2022.[32]

Hidalgo was diagnosed with clinical depression in July 2023 and announced a temporary leave of absence to undergo treatment.[33] On September 14 she announced plans to return to office in early October.[34]

Electoral history

November 2018 Harris County Judge election[35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Lina Hidalgo 595,221 49.78% +49.78%
Republican Ed Emmett 575,944 48.16% −35.22%
Libertarian Eric Gatlin 24,634 2.06% +2.06%
Total votes 1,195,799 100.0% N/A
November 2022 Harris County Judge election[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Lina Hidalgo 552,903 50.82% +1.04%
Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer 534,720 49.15% +0.99%
Write-in Naoufal Houjami 241 0.02% +0.02%
Total votes 1,087,864 100.0% N/A

See also

  • Christopher G. Hollins – appointed county clerk under Hidalgo's government involved in the 2020 U.S. elections

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 O’rourke, Ciara (September 2, 2020). "The Latina Progressive Who Faced Down Texas Republicans". POLITICO. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  2. ↑ Texas Association of Counties. "What Does a County Judge Do in Texas?". Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Emergency Management". Texas County Progress. September 26, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Lina Hidalgo, a 27-Year-Old Latina, Will Lead Harris County, Texas' Biggest". The New York Times. November 8, 2018. Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  5. 1 2 Paterson, Blake (April 3, 2019). "She's 28. She's an Immigrant. She's in Charge of Texas' Most Populous County. Get Used to It". The Texas Observer. Archived from the original on June 8, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  6. ↑ Beausoleil, Sophia (November 8, 2018). "Who is the new Harris County Judge-elect Lina Hidalgo?". KPRC. Archived from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  7. 1 2 Kiah Collier (January 8, 2019). "Harris County's first Latina county judge takes the helm". The Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Cap and Gown News Fall 2011" (PDF). Stanford University. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  9. 1 2 Garcia, Samuel (December 6, 2018). "27-Year-Old Immigrant Lina Hidalgo's Election Marks A Change In Texas Politics". Forbes. Archived from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  10. ↑ "FSI | CDDRL - CDDRL student receives Stanford award for top thesis". Cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu. June 14, 2013. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Who is newly-elected Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo?". November 7, 2018. Archived from the original on November 13, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  12. ↑ Gill, Julian (November 7, 2018). "Things to know about newly elected Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on November 12, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  13. 1 2 Garcia, Samuel. "27-Year-Old Immigrant Lina Hidalgo's Election Marks A Change In Texas Politics". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  14. ↑ Nick Tabor (November 28, 2018). "Can a 27-Year-Old Neophyte Run the Largest County in Texas?". Nymag.com. Archived from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  15. ↑ Grieder, Erica (November 9, 2018). "Lina Hidalgo earned the right to serve as Harris County judge". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Harris County approves historic bail deal, ends 'irreparable harm'". HoustonChronicle.com. July 30, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  17. ↑ "The Democrats' national convention shone a spotlight on Texas' emerging bench — beyond the Castros and O'Rourke". August 21, 2020.
  18. ↑ Levitz, Eric (October 30, 2020). "Texas Has Already Exceeded Its 2016 Turnout. Here's What That Means". Intelligencer. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  19. ↑ Rouege, Ciara (June 23, 2021). "Feds investigating whether I-45 expansion project violates laws, judge says". khou.com. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  20. ↑ Hidalgo, Lina (March 11, 2021). "Today we sued TxDOT over the misguided I-45 expansion project". Twitter. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  21. ↑ Vasquez, Lucio (November 16, 2021). "Harris County pauses federal lawsuit over I-45 expansion to negotiate with TxDOT | Houston Public Media". Houston Public Media. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Lina Hidalgo, 28". 2020 30 UNDER 30: LAW & POLICY. Forbes. Archived from the original on December 11, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  23. ↑ "Serious questions emerge around $11 million Harris County COVID-19 contract". September 2, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Of Concern: County Judge Lina Hidalgo and the $11 Million Dollar "Elevate Strategies LLC" Contract". August 23, 2021.
  25. 1 2 Rice, Jen. What to know about the charges against Hidalgo's former staffers under investigation by DA Ogg and Texas Rangers, Houston Chronicle, November 10, 2023.
  26. ↑ McGuinness, Dylan (November 8, 2022). "Mealer concedes to Hidalgo in Harris County judge race, Democrats likely to expand majority". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  27. ↑ Fechter, Joshua (November 9, 2022). "Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo wins tight race for reelection". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  28. ↑ Rice, Jen (September 22, 2023). "Alex Mealer drops election result lawsuit against Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  29. ↑ Bever, Lindsey (March 27, 2019). ""This is not Mexico": Texas official criticizes county judge for speaking Spanish". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019 – via The Texas Tribune.
  30. 1 2 Acevedo, Nicole (March 27, 2019). "Texas official apologizes for telling Latina county judge to 'speak English'". NBC News. Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  31. ↑ "FSI - A Year Ago, They Marched. Now a Record Number of Women Are Running for Office". Fsi.stanford.edu. January 24, 2018. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  32. ↑ Specter, Emma (April 24, 2023). "Meet Judge Lina Hidalgo, a Young Democratic Star in GOP-led Texas". Vogue. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  33. ↑ Fechter, Joshua; Simpson, Stephen (August 7, 2023). "Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo takes leave of absence to treat depression". The Texas Tribune.
  34. ↑ Rice, Jen (September 14, 2023). "Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo extends medical leave, will return Oct. 2". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  35. ↑ "Cumulative Report — Official Harris County, Texas — General and Special Elections — November 06, 2018" (PDF). Harris County Election Administrator's Office. November 14, 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 11, 2020.
  36. ↑ "Cumulative Report — Official Harris County, Texas — General and Special Elections — November 08, 2022" (PDF). Harris County Election Administrator's Office. November 19, 2022.
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