The election is less than three months away.

We are starting our look at the candidates in some of the top races in the state.

Democrats and Republicans consider the Dallas County Sheriff's election a must win contest in November.

Democrats want to hold onto the office - Republicans want to stop their momentum.

The Republican nominee is Lowell Cannaday.

Lowell Cannaday says voters should choose him for Dallas County Sheriff because of the command positions he's held in police work.

"I bring a history of leadership. I bring a history of being able to build relationships," he said.

Cannaday served as an assistant police chief in Dallas, then police chief in Irving and then after retiring, was elected to the Irving City Council.

Despite his resume, Cannaday's challenge is to broaden his name identification across Dallas County that's increasingly Democratic over the past two elections.

"I intend to spend a great deal of time in the community south of the Trinity River talking to people where I have worked before," he said.

The take on Cannaday by his Democratic opponent, incumbent Sheriff Lupe Valdez: "he doesn't have any jail experience."

Cannaday says he must persuade voters his experience will run the jail and sheriff's department better.

"We've had promises but we haven't seen the delivery of these promises that we need down there," he said.

E-mail bwatson@wfaa.com.