Alex Mealer
American politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alexandra Mealer (née del Moral; born October 1984) is a small business owner, former oil & gas investment banker, U.S. Army combat veteran, and politician. A member of the Republican Party, she was the party's nominee for Harris County Judge in 2022, losing narrowly to incumbent Lina Hidalgo.[1] She later served on the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) Board from 2024 to 2025[2] as Public Safety Chair and was named Victory Chair of the Republican Party of Texas in 2023 before resigning in 2024 to serve on the METRO Board.[3][4] As of 2026, she is the Republican nominee for the U.S. House in Texas's 9th congressional district.
Alex Mealer | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alexandra del Moral October 16, 1984 Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Clay Mealer |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | United States Military Academy (BS) Harvard University (JD, MBA) |
| Website | Campaign website |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
Years of service | 2007–2012 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal |
| Battles/wars | War in Afghanistan |
Early life and education
Mealer was born in Sacramento, California, in October 1984.[5][6] She grew up in Gold River, California.[7][8] She attended Rio Americano High School in Sacramento, where she was accepted to West Point.[9]
Inspired by the September 11 attacks, Mealer enrolled at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where she played on the women's rugby team.[10][11] She graduated in 2007.[12] She later earned a Juris Doctor (JD) from Harvard Law School and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School, both completed in 2016.[13]
Military service
Mealer served in the United States Army from May 2007 to 2012 as a captain, specializing in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (bomb squad). She deployed to Afghanistan during the surge, leading soldiers in combat and defusing explosives.[14][15]
Career
After completing her military service, Mealer attended Harvard where she received a joint JD/MBA. After graduate school she moved to Houston, Texas and entered finance.[5] She resigned from Wells Fargo in late 2021 to run for office.[16][17]
Political career
Mealer ran as the Republican nominee for Harris County Judge in 2022, securing the nomination in a crowded primary. She lost to Democratic nominee Lina Hidalgo by 51% to 49% .[1]
In October 2023, she was named Victory Chair of the Republican Party of Texas, resigning in May 2024 citing family and board commitments. She was appointed to the METRO board in March 2024, serving as Public Safety Chair until 2025.[2][3][4]
In 2025, Mealer announced her candidacy for Texas's 9th congressional district in the Republican primary.[18]
Personal life
Mealer is married to Clay Mealer (also a West Point graduate), and they have two children. They have been married over 17 years.[13] Her paternal grandparents are from Spain.[19] Mealer's paternal grandfather was Armando del Moral.[20]