As she entered the general campaign, Valdez was widely considered the underdog in her general election race against Republican Danny Chandler. Chandler, a 30-year veteran of the Sheriff's Department, had defeated incumbent Sheriff Jim Bowles in the Republican primary. Bowles, who was tainted by corruption allegations, had held the office for 20 years. As an openly lesbian candidate for public office, Valdez's campaign won the backing of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. The general election saw Valdez beat Chandler by 51.3% to 48.7%, a margin of some 18,000 votes. The election, combined with the fact that Valdez is female, Hispanic, and a lesbian, made national headlines and was reported overseas.