U.S. judge skeptical of Texas Republican bid to throw out 127,000 votes

The lawsuit was brought on Wednesday by plaintiffs including state Representative Steve Toth, conservative activist Steve Hotze, and judicial candidate Sharon Hemphill. The Texas Supreme Court on Sunday rejected a nearly identical bid by the same plaintiffs to halt drive-through voting in Harris County.

A federal judge in Texas on Monday appeared skeptical of an attempt by Republicans to throw out about 127,000 votes already cast in the U.S. presidential election at drive-through voting sites in Houston, a Democratic-leaning area. U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen said the Republicans who brought the case faced an "uphill road" in convincing him that the votes should be voided.

The judge said the plaintiffs needed to show that Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins, a Democrat, had an "evil motive" in allowing drive-through voting as an alternative during the coronavirus pandemic. The lawsuit was brought on Wednesday by plaintiffs including state Representative Steve Toth, conservative activist Steve Hotze, and judicial candidate Sharon Hemphill.

The Texas Supreme Court on Sunday rejected a nearly identical bid by the same plaintiffs to halt drive-through voting in Harris County. The same court also previously denied similar challenges brought by the Texas Republican Party and the Harris County Republican Party.