Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez is expected to resign amid speculation that she will launch a campaign for Texas governor.
NBC 5's media partners at The Dallas Morning News reported late Wednesday that Valdez could file as a candidate in the Democratic primary as early as next week.
A statement late Wednesday from the Dallas County Sheriff's Office said:
"As she has stated in the past, the Sheriff is considering the next stage in her career. A letter of resignation was not submitted today. The Sheriff will make a formal announcement when her final decision is made."
Earlier this month, Valdez told the Texas Tribune that she was "in the exploratory process" of starting a gubernatorial run.
Gov. Greg Abbott — who defeated former State Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, by 20 percentage points in 2014 — reported a campaign fund balance of $41 million in July. He faces no major GOP opponent.
Abbott filed his bid for reelection earlier this month.
Valdez could not be reached for comment Wednesday, and sheriff's office spokeswoman Melinda Urbina said Valdez has made no indication to the sheriff's office that she's resigning.
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When NBC 5 reached out to Valdez in early November, we were given a statement saying, "People have been talking and Sheriff Valdez is listening as she always does. She is currently focused on her job as Sheriff. At this point, there is no new information to add."
CORRECTION (Nov. 29, 2017, 8:30 p.m. CT): An earlier version of this story stated that Valdez had already resigned. She has yet to officially turn in her paperwork to Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, but is expected to do so before filing her candidacy for governor.
