UPDATE: The New York Times shows that with about 1 percent of the precincts statewide counted, Valdez has about 49 percent of the vote. Payne is right in the middle of the pack with 4.9 percent.
The polls have just closed, and there are a lot of votes yet to be cast. But a quick look at the results of early voting in Tarrant County looks like good news for former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, the state’s first openly lesbian Latinx sheriff.
Out of 37,510 votes counted so far, Valdez garnered 18,719 (49.9 percent), more than twice as many as her nearest competitor in this county, Andrew White, who has gotten 9,165 votes (24.43 percent).
Dallas businessman Jeffrey Payne, the other LGBT person vying for the Democratic nomination for governor, pulled in 1,869 votes so far (4.98 percent).
Like I said, there are a lot of votes yet to be tallied. But if this is any indication, Valdez is in for a good night.
