Lupe Valdez Could Be Texas’ First Lesbian & Latina Governor

“Tonight is a victory for all of us who are fighting for a stronger and fairer Texas.”

Tuesday night, Lupe Valdez won her runoff and became the Democratic nominee for Texas governor. She is the first openly gay and Latina nominee to win a major party nomination in Texas.

A post shared by Lupe Valdez (@lupefortexas) on

According to unofficial election results, Valdez won 53.1% of the vote while her competitor, Andrew White, attained 46.9%.

Valdez has served as both a US Army Captain and Dallas County Sheriff. In her nomination acceptance speech, she said, “Tonight is a victory for all of us who are fighting for a stronger and fairer Texas. A tolerant and diverse Texas. A Texas where the everyday person has a voice and a fair shot – just as I had.”

So what does Valdez stand for? Her website details the issues she’s passionate about. Here are a few:

Women’s Health
“A room full of men in Austin shouldn’t be getting between Texas women and their doctors. It’s time to put an end to it.”

Women in The Economy
“Women, especially women of color, still do not get equal pay. This doesn’t just hurt women – it hurts families and it hurts our economy. We must change it.”

Water
“Water is also critical for the growth and development of Texas business and agriculture. We must invest in the infrastructure necessary to secure our water supply for generations to come.”

LGBTQ Equality
“It is simply outrageous that in many places in Texas, you can still be married on Saturday and fired on Monday, all because of who you love. We must work to enshrine protections for the LGBTQ community.”

Gun Violence
“We are living in a world in which our children are marching in the streets so that we, the grown ups, will make a legislative change to keep them safe – and I’m listening.”

Disability Rights
“The ability to live, work, and play in your own community should be a right that all Texans enjoy, and I will fight to ensure that Texans with disabilities have those rights that many of us take for granted.”

Civil Rights
“We have made much progress, but the fight for civil rights in the modern era is far from over. For many across our state, the rights to social equality and freedom are still obstructed.”


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