A Texas judge has rejected the Republican attempt to overturn election results in Harris County, the third most populous county in the United States. The county, which includes Houston, is a Democratic stronghold that has faced numerous Republican efforts to influence the voting process.
The lawsuit was filed by Erin Lunceford, a Republican candidate who lost in a judicial race in November. Lunceford claimed that her defeat was due to ballot shortages and allegations of illegal votes. However, Judge David Peeples denied her request for a new election, stating that no GOP voters came forward during the trial to testify that they were unable to vote because of these issues.
This ruling is a setback for GOP leaders in Harris County who have been trying to overturn the results of 17 other local contests in the November 2022 election. Similar challenges have been seen across the country, fueled by baseless conspiracy theories propagated by former President Donald Trump and his supporters, who falsely claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen by President Joe Biden’s backers.
Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, a Democrat, expressed his satisfaction with the judge’s decision, stating that the county and its voters have moved on from the 2022 election. He also expressed hope that the Harris County Republican Party would do the same.
Harris County has faced scrutiny over its elections for several years, with issues such as long lines, poll worker shortages, and uncounted ballots on election day. Lunceford’s lawsuit was the first to go to trial regarding the November 2022 election results in the county.
During the trial, Lunceford’s lawyers alleged that there were paper ballot shortages specifically targeting Republican voting locations. They also claimed that other mistakes, such as delayed poll openings and inadequate reviews of voter residency forms, prevented people from voting or allowed illegal votes to be cast. However, lawyers for Tamika Craft, who won the election, argued that the lawsuit was part of a larger plan by the Harris County Republican Party to challenge election results and disenfranchise voters.
Peeples dismissed Lunceford’s lawsuit and 15 other similar lawsuits, leaving only one remaining. This comes as Harris County has been the target of new voting rules and restrictions implemented by Republican lawmakers in Texas. These laws, including the ban on drive-thru and 24-hour voting, have been criticized for suppressing voter turnout. The demographic changes in the county, with a growing population of younger and minority residents who tend to vote Democratic, have shifted the political landscape in favor of the Democratic Party.
Despite the setback, Republicans in Harris County have not given up their efforts to challenge election results. However, the judge’s ruling reaffirms the validity of the 2022 election and signals a victory for the county and its voters.
