HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A visiting judge was in Houston Tuesday to hear arguments over one of several Republican-backed challenges to Harris County's 2022 election.
Erin Lunceford - a Republican candidate who lost her bid for district court judge - is suing Democrat Tamika Craft - who won the seat - for a new election.
The case could set new precedents and signal what's next to come for elections in Harris County.
Arguments kicked off on Tuesday to determine whether a new election is needed.
“This is a razor-close election," said Andy Taylor, Lunceford's attorney. “You had 1.1 million people vote and my client, supposedly because this election was run so poorly, lost by about 2,700 votes.”
Lawyers for Judge Craft say the 2,734 votes are evidence of a convincing victory. They also claimed that Lunceford's lawyers failed to provide the heavy burden of proof required for a new election to be ordered.
Taylor disagreed with that assessment.
“Once all the evidence is in the judge is literally going to have no choice but to grant a new election," Taylor said.
Lunceford's lawyers are leaning on voting statements of residents that there were inconsistencies from day one.
Lawyers for Craft said they plan on proving Lunceford lost the election legally and there was a plot planned before the election to challenge the eventual results.
It's important to note that this is not a jury trial. At the end of the two-week trial, the judge overseeing this case will decide whether to order a redo of the election for the 189th District Court.