Monitor polling shows Dems winning Election Day
An unscientific poll conducted by The Monitor on Election Day throughout Hidalgo County shows Democratic candidates in one national race, one statewide race and one county race all taking healthy leads.
Conventional wisdom has always held that Hidalgo is a Democratic stronghold, and day-of voters stuck with the party line, although not everyone voted a straight ticket, according to the surveys.
Rick Noriega, the Houston veteran running to unseat Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), appears to have achieved his goal of taking Hidalgo County, with 73 percent of respondents who voted in the senate race checking his name. He is not expected to fare as well in other regions of Texas.
Barack Obama will likewise take Hidalgo County but probably lose Texas. He drew 71 percent of respondents' votes.
The survey does not take into account the tens of thousands of early voters who cast their ballots over the last two weeks.
Finally, Jesse Contreras drew 67 percent of respondents' votes in his bid for the 449th District Court. Sitting judge Danny Rios, who was appointed to the newly created court, appears to have drawn only a third of voters despite Contreras' recent legal troubles.
Stay on themonitor.com for more information on local and national races.
