Lupe Valdez misplaced her service weapon in December of 2017 when she resigned from her position as Sheriff of Dallas County to make a bid for governor of Texas. (Photo: Facebook)
Texas gubernatorial candidate Lupe Valdez is in a bit of a pickle right now. The Democrat, who is hoping to take down incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott (R) this fall, misplaced her service pistol, local media reports.
Valdez apparently lost track of her Beretta 9mm in December of 2017 when she was transitioning from her role as publicly-elected sheriff of Dallas County to private citizen running for governor. As part of the move, she was required to return the handgun to the county.
Last month, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office issued a report about the missing firearm fearing it may have been used in the commission of a crime.
This week a spokesperson for the Valdez campaign told The Dallas Morning News that the candidate is working with investigators to “locate the firearm.”
“As mentioned in the [police] report, it is possible that this weapon could have been stolen or misplaced during Sheriff Valdez’s moving transition and she is working with the Dallas County Sheriff Department to locate the firearm,” said spokesman Juan Bautista Dominguez.
SEE ALSO: She Ran for Congress on Gun Control, Now She’s Charged with Murder
Valdez may have an out if it’s discovered that the gun was lost after she turned it over to the department. However, Dominguez offered no comment about whether it went missing on her watch.
Complicating matters for Valdez is that she openly supports gun control. In the past, she’s championed criminalizing private transfers, banning certain magazines, and has opposed expanding campus carry on Texas universities. All of which has earned her support from the anti-gun lobby.
The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, the gun-control organization fronted by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), endorsed Valdez for governor in May.
“Law enforcement and first responders like Sheriff Valdez know how a firearm ending up in the wrong hands can lead to tragedy,” said Giffords. “Sheriff Valdez also knows that both law enforcement and elected officials play a pivotal role in keeping our communities safe from gun violence.”
In what might be the understatement of the year, the optics of the situation are très mal for Valdez. And, it didn’t take long for Gov. Abbott’s team to take note.
If Lupe Valdez can’t keep track of her own gun, she can’t be trusted running the state of Texas. pic.twitter.com/XxyEEL0t6n
— Texans for Abbott (@AbbottCampaign) August 15, 2018
“If Lupe Valdez can’t keep track of her own gun, she can’t be trusted running the state of Texas,” said Gov. Abbott on Twitter Wednesday, above a video montage of media members discussing the faux pas.
Just to get things straight. Valdez is an anti-gun Democrat running for to become the next governor of Texas. Texas! She is a former CLEO who lost her service weapon. Call me crazy but I don’t see a major political victory in her future.
Abbott, you haven’t done much of anything pro-gun for Texas. You had your buddy Bonnen block Constitutional Carry and the fake radio conservative Dan Patrick comes out in support for unConstitutional “red flag” laws. Our Okie neighbors just passed Constitutional Carry. It’s embarrassing that Texas doesn’t. Even though it would be a big feather in your cap you still refuse. Well “wheels” all it’s gonna take is a conservative challenger to come out in support of Constitutional Carry and you & Patrick are history.
What could me more irresponsible than losing or misplacing a firearm, who has it ?
A felon ? A child ? A mentally unstable person ? That’s correct, you dont know !!!!
No shit!
I live in Galveston county. How can one be a supporter of gun control and not control their own firearm ?
Stop using the gun and our rights as political tools. People are using our rights to get elected and they should have nothing to do with politics. Do they say ANYTHING else about any other part of The Constitution?? no they don’t. I served 23 years in the USAF, 3 years as Civil Servant USN, I have 12 guns and have a Thompson machine gun on its way and I am a Democrat. Do not allow the 15% of Democrat to make decision about the other 75% us. I am Guns Hobbyist. I fought for my rights, a lot of you do not even want to pay taxes to pay us for fighting for your freedom. You, The Democrats, The Republican, My mother, anyone or anything will not take my guns or My privilege to have and buy guns. Please stop the Democrats and Republicans BS, There are as many Republicans who want to take your guns as Democrats
I hope you are on target about 15% 75% thing! America is bloated with fearful people who think that
gun owners will wreak havoc on their lives and general well being. I hope that the Democrats will cross the party lines when it come to protecting our 1st and 2nd. My family laid down our lives for the country.
We are a family of US Armed forces. We paid and are still paying to uphold the USA. I do get a bit irritated
when people start screaming gun control and that the LEO and the politicians will protect us all.
Firearms are the tools that saved us from the British rule. They are an integral part of our well being and
survival of our nation as we know it. I don’t see any other way out of it. Keep them guns oiled. Support NRA, GOA, vote every time. Vote for Gov. Abbott. Geez!!!
I’m so glad there is one voice out there that responds truthfully. Being anti gun is not party specific. In my life time I saw George Bush senior sign a gun control bill. So nix that madness. This should not be a votable issue. The rights are established. Focus on the needs of the social order not the desires of those seeking power. This surge of shootings are probably staged to vilify gun ownership. The very people in power to make these decisions seem to be the most clueless.
A Dem can own guns, I work with several that are and do. But your party has left you and if you continue to vote Democrat just to not be Republican then you are voting against what you claim you believe in.
Just so everyone knows, Lupe (while she was top sheriff) went to the local Dallas police supply store with her assistant. Lupe was in full uniform and gun belt. Lupe COULD NOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO DRAW HER PISTOL FROM HER HOLSTER. So here she is struggling to draw her loaded pistol in the middle of the store. Her assistant finally draws it for her and she takes it and starts waving it around, while everyone in the store ducks and runs for cover. She was consequently banned from the local police supply store.
Lupe is a joke, and everyone at DSO had zero respect for her. Glad she’s gone and glad she’s running for a spot she doesn’t have a chance getting.
How did this person get elected? Never mind, I just found the political demographic for the county; infested with liberals. I sure hope Texas doesn’t turn into a California because the liberals are invading the big cities and digging in like a tick on hound.
What is Texas law concerning a sworn peace officer losing their service pistol/revolver? Apparently did not apply in this case.
That is funny you think there are laws that would apply to LEO’s.
There will be an investigation and it will be swept under the carpet, just most of the other stuff LEO’s do.
I have a lot of LEO friends and a ton of respect for them. Sadly, more often than not, they do get away with stuff like this. The big, obvious cases like Ferguson… no. But other times, with small, stupid thing… yes.
Well, to be totally honest, it not like she is going to misplace Texas like she did her gun… 🙂
We should not treat it any different than if she misplaced any other piece of state property of the same value though, otherwise we are succumbing to the leftist agenda that firearms are somehow *different* than any other tool that could be deadly.
Another criminal with a gun. Values hopefully will lose the race. She being a cop should know the difference between a law abiding gun owner vs a criminal walling around with her gun. Who will kill someone or committ an armed robbery I wonder if she knows. These DEMORATS AND LIBERALS don’t have a clue on disarming the gun carrying criminal so the person legally owns a gun get punished. WHAT A joke
More like…chinga..mi pistola…
The incumbent Abbott NEEDS to make a much political hay from this incidence as possible. Even IF the firearm “reappears”, the FACT that it has been -misplaced- for ANY period of time is unforgivable and should disqualify the fool from any future public service. Period.
Let’s not forget $12,000 in in paid property taxes
Sheriff? That would be good for a good laugh were it not apparently true. I wonder if that “sheriff” was a 4 or a 3-star “sheriff”.
(go home!)
Wow! WHAT a piece of work! She was a cop and couldn’t keep track of her weapon. This is just another reason why women do not belong in law enforcement. Sexist? Damn right I’m sexist. I’ve worked with female leo’s. They’re not fun to be around.
She lost it while on her hands and knees doing it puppy dog style.
Thanks for that image, gross.
Wake up and smell the roses Texas voters. Why would you even consider a democrat for any office in TX? I carry daily, even at home and I can not imagine losing a firearm. Always vote the Republican ticket. Lupe is dumb candidate.
Uh, because we’re getting overrun with Californians.
Not Californians…. Californicators. We need more conservatives to move to this state, otherwise between the Californicators, the illegals, and the moslems having 10 kids per father, we’re going to go downhill pretty fast.
Greg Abbott has been great for the Lone Star state! Long may he serve!
I must say I agree with you somewhat. But I was born in Kansas & raised in Ca. We moved to Texas because we are sick of the CA nonsense & because 2 of our 3 sons got a work transfer & moved here. So don’t blame All Ca people. Some of us are very happy to help keep Texas TEXAS. We do know a lot of retirees who are getting out of CA because of the Clownafornian politics. Many have gone to Nevada, Oregon, Washington state, New Mexico, Tennessee & yes the great state of TX. Actually one friend avoided TX because in her words too many CA are moving to TX. So we aren’t all bad. I find myself apologizing when someone asks where we moved from, before I mention the “C” word. appreciate those of us who moved here to get away from all that, and we will support these ideals Texans hold dear. My husband is a VN vet and we are hunters and gun advocates.
CANT BELIEVE THIS MORON WOULD EVEN THINK OF RUNNING , IT WASNT LONG AGO THE MARSHALLS CAME IN AND TOOK OVER HER OFFICE , AND THE NUT CASE ISNT IN JAIL . BUT NOW THIS ?? TRULY IT IS A TIME IN OUR COUNTRY WHERE EVERY NUT CASE OUT THERE IS RUNNING FOR OFFICE . UNBELIEVABLE
I bet you it turns out she lost it well before this transition period. And I bet she bought an identical gun to replace it. But I bet she would come down hard on anyone else that lost their gun. And I bet if she does become governor, her and her brain dead anti gun groups will push making it a crime to not report a lost or stolen gun within 24 hours. Another lunatic democrat.
And she want to run for what???
She cant even keep her weapon “SAFE”—hmmmmmm maybe she should run for trash collecter commissioner or something where she “CAN DO NO HARM”
SHES BAT SHI* CRAZY
Imagine Lupe responding to a break in: “Freeze or I’ll…..WTF? Where’s my gun?”
No that’s funny…but pretty much spot on..!