Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, who made history by becoming the first woman, first lesbian and first Latina to serve in that office, won a heated race for her re-election.

The Dallas Morning News declared her victorious this evening.

People hugged her and patted her on the back as she worked her way through the crowd, which reminded me of the French Quarter in New Orleans during Mardi Gras.

When she took the media stage to face a battery of TV cameras, the masses screamed and hollered. Valdez, who generally does not like the limelight, was soaking it in.

But she won’t be able to stay up too late to celebrate.

Valdez, who rose this morning at 4 a.m., has a 7 a.m. North Texas Crime Commission meeting tomorrow to attend, said Kirk McPike, her campaign manager.

Her Republican opponent, Lowell Cannaday, is still holding out hope, against all odds.

No word from him yet.