Meet Lupe Valdez and Andrew White, the Democrats vying to challenge Gov. Greg Abbott

Texas Elections 2018

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz defeated Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke in the race for U.S. Senate. View full 2018 Texas election results or subscribe to The Brief for the latest election news.

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The Democrats hoping to clinch the party's first statewide victory since 1994 and unseat a well-funded governor believe the political climate is ripe for an upset, if the right challenger advances to the general election.

But neither Lupe Valdez nor Andrew White enjoy the name recognition Texas Gov. Greg Abbott does, or his more than $40 million campaign war chest.

Valdez left her post as Dallas County sheriff last year to run for governor. Before becoming the first openly gay Hispanic female sheriff elected in the nation, she worked as a federal agent and captain in the U.S. Army.

White is the son of Mark White, who served as Texas governor in the 1980s. Andrew White has started a number of businesses in his native Houston and currently owns Geovox Security, a company that sells technology that has been used at the border to detect people hiding in vehicles, though he's said he'll divest from the company.

In the latest video from our Split Decision campaign debate series, watch the candidates discuss their views on moderate Democrats, abortion and legalizing marijuana.