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Lucio Vasquez \/ Houston Public Media<\/p>\n
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo talks about potential legal action after Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar accused the county of defunding law enforcement. Taken on Feb. 16, 2023.<\/p>\n
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said she had always planned to endorse Congressman Al Green for Texas\u2019 18th Congressional District seat, despite previously backing his now political opponent in the recent special election to fill the remainder of the term.<\/p>\n
The endorsement came just days after voters elected<\/a> former Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee in the special runoff election to fill the seat left vacant after the death of Congressman Sylvester Turner. Menefee received about 68.4% of the vote against former Houston City Councilwoman Amanda Edwards in the Saturday election, according to election results.<\/p>\n Though Menefee was sworn into office this week, his campaign efforts to keep the seat won\u2019t slow down. He will run in March\u2019s Democratic primary election against Green, who recently announced his intentions to run in the 18th congressional race, after he was redrawn into the district following the 2025 mid-decade redistricting by Republicans. <\/p>\n Sign up for the Hello, Houston!<\/a> daily newsletter to get local reports like this delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p>\n Hidalgo this week recognized Green\u2019s fight for Houston\u2019s values and efforts to deliver $90 million for flood relief in Harris County in an endorsement<\/a> posted to Facebook. In an interview with Houston Public Media on Tuesday, she said she\u2019s worked with Green since she was first elected to office.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a friend,\u201d Hidalgo said. \u201cIt\u2019s really not so much a political decision as a personal decision. Initially, it was Amanda Edwards versus Christian Menefee. I\u2019ve worked with Christian Menefee at the county; I think he\u2019s a wonderful leader. And then it became Christian Menefee versus Congressman Green, [who] I\u2019ve worked with more and I\u2019m closer to, and I think he can still be very effective. But I recognize just how bizarre the whole thing is.\u201d<\/p>\n Though Menefee previously provided legal counsel to the county government and acted as its representative in litigation, he also repeatedly used his position to fight President Donald Trump’s administration in federal court \u2014 at times appearing with Hidalgo in press conferences about the county\u2019s efforts to prevent negative federal action.<\/p>\n