Lupe For Gov

Ex-Dallas sheriff Latina lesbian will run against Greg Abbott for Texas governor

Lupe Valdez in her days as Dallas County Sheriff.

Portrait © Timothy Greenfield-Sanders/HBO

Former Dallas County sheriff Lupe Valdez won the Democratic primary runoff for governor on May 22, making her the Democratic nominee who will run against Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in November.

Valdez is Hispanic and openly gay, a first for a gubernatorial nominee in Texas and a striking counterpoint to conservative Abbott. Does it get any more Texas than this?

In the primary, she beat Andrew White by more than 25,000 votes — 227,889 votes to White's 204,291, or 52.7 percent to 47.3 percent. White is a Houston investor and the son of former Texas Gov. Mark White, who was in office in the '80s.

Valdez was Dallas County sheriff from 2005-2017. Prior to that, she served in the U.S. Army, and was a federal agent for U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security.

She drew big turnouts in Dallas and Tarrant County, and in towns along the border, including El Paso, McAllen, and Laredo.

Her campaign watch party took place at Ellen's, the Dallas restaurant that recently made international news after it printed an innocuous message about gun reform on its receipts during the NRA convention in Dallas.

In her victory speech, Valdez thanked the various Democratic organizations that had supported her, including the Downtown Dallas Democrats, the Stonewall Democrats, and the Dallas County Young Democrats, as well as her partner Lindsay Browning, then repeated her mantra: that she is "the candidate for the everyday Texan" who wants to unify people regardless of their background.

"I want to work hard to get the support of Texans from every walk of life to make a more tolerant and diverse Texas," she said. "I grew up the daughter of migrant workers — but I got a quality public education, had the honor of serving in the military, had a living wage and healthcare when I needed it, and I got a fighting chance. And now I'm ready for the government to make sure that every Texan also has that same fighting chance."

"Honestly, I am sick and tired of politicians who, when they win, their attitude is, 'I got mine, too bad about you,'" she said.

Addressing the perception that the odds are greatly against her, she said, "I am constantly hearing this is going to be an uphill battle. Please tell me when I didn't have an uphill battle."

Other elections included runoffs for the U.S. House and the Texas Legislature; Texas Tribune has a list of all the runoffs results.

politics

Animal News

Dallas animal shelter invites residents to host a pet during holiday

DAS

Husky at Dallas Animal Services

Dallas Animal Services (DAS) is inviting the community to help bring pets “Home for the Holidays” by adopting or fostering during one of the shelter’s busiest times of the year.

DAS has achieved strong positive outcomes this quarter, including adoptions, foster-to-adopt placements, and underage foster placements, with 1,377 in October and 1,378 in November. The department is now working toward a December goal of 1,400 positive outcomes, with 588 completed so far this month.

“We are grateful for the support our community continues to show,” said Victoria Chittam Bennett, Assistant Director. “Every adoption opens a kennel for another pet in need, and the holidays are an especially meaningful time to welcome a new companion.”

This season, adopters will also have the chance to participate in the Friends of Dallas Animal Services (FODAS) 12 Days of Holiday Giveaways, fully funded and supported through donations from generous community supporters. For more information about this initiative, visit friendsofdas.org and watch out for announcements on social media.

Holiday staycations
Residents who may not be ready to adopt can still support DAS pets by participating in Silent Night Holiday Staycations, a short-term foster opportunity that gives dogs a relaxing break from the shelter during the holiday period.

Pickup dates are scheduled for December 20-21, with drop-off options on December 27-28 or January 3-4. Participants typically spend 1-3 hours at the shelter selecting a foster match, and contact with pets outside the home should be limited. Questions may be directed to DASFtA@dallas.gov.

“Holiday Staycations allow our dogs to decompress and show their personalities in a home environment,” said Amanda Earl, Assistant Director. “The insight we receive from these foster stays is invaluable in helping pets find permanent homes.”

DAS encourages the community to adopt, foster, volunteer, or share adoptable pets to help meet December’s lifesaving goals.
“Together, we can bring home the holidays for the pets relying on us,” said Director Paul Ramon.

For more information on adoptable pets, holiday programs, or ways to get involved, visit https://bedallas90.org/ or stop by the DAS Shelter at 1818 N. Westmoreland Rd.

animals