Avelino Valencia was born in Anaheim, attended Katella High School, won election to the Anaheim City Council and has served in the California State Assembly for District 68 since 2022. He worked as a political staffer for Assemblyman Tom Daly from 2016 to 2022, a period that overlapped his 2020 council election. In 2022, after Daly announced his retirement and the district was redistricted, leaving no incumbent, Valencia was elected to the Assembly. In December 2024, he announced another campaign, this time for the State Senate seat held by termed-out Senator Tom Umberg. His public record includes staff work, municipal office, service in the Legislature and an announced State Senate campaign.
ROOTS
Valencia was born in Anaheim on November 12, 1988, to parents of Mexican descent. He attended Katella High School, Fullerton College, San Jose State University and Johns Hopkins University.
Playing for the 2009 San Jose State Spartans football team, Valencia made one reception for seven yards.
His documented connections to Anaheim include his birth there and his service on the City Council.
THE PATH TO OFFICE
Valencia worked as Tom Daly’s political staffer from 2016 through 2022. That work began before Valencia was elected to the Anaheim City Council in 2020 and before he was elected to the Assembly in 2022.
In 2020, he ran for the Anaheim City Council to replace termed-out Lucille King. Valencia faced Annemarie Randle-Trejo and Jeannine Robbins and won the election.
Two years later, Daly announced his retirement from the California State Assembly, and the district was redistricted, leaving no incumbent in the 2022 election. Valencia entered the Assembly contest against three other politicians. He and Republican Mike Tardif advanced from the primary to the general election, where Valencia led Tardif in the votes and was elected to the Assembly in 2022.
In December 2024, Valencia announced that he would run for the California State Senate in 2026 to replace termed-out Senator Tom Umberg.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Valencia’s documented public record includes work as an Assembly staffer from 2016 to 2022, election to the Anaheim City Council, election to the Assembly and an announced State Senate campaign. The council race was to replace a termed-out member; the Assembly election followed Daly’s retirement and redistricting that left no incumbent; and the announced Senate campaign is to replace a termed-out senator.
The available biographical record identifies no named legislation, policy campaign, legislative vote, committee assignment or organized constituency associated with Valencia’s Assembly tenure. Without those details, no specific policy cause or alignment of interests can be established from this record.
The documented sequence includes Daly’s staff, the Anaheim City Council, the Assembly and an announced 2026 State Senate run. A fuller assessment of Valencia as a policymaker would require policy information not contained in the available record.
- State Assembly · Assembly District 68 · 2022–present
Avelino Valencia was born in Anaheim, attended Katella High School, won election to the Anaheim City Council and has served in the California State Assembly for District 68 since 2022. He worked as a political staffer for Assemblyman Tom Daly from 2016 to 2022, a period that overlapped his 2020 council election. In 2022, after Daly announced his retirement and the district was redistricted, leaving no incumbent, Valencia was elected to the Assembly. In December 2024, he announced another campaign, this time for the State Senate seat held by termed-out Senator Tom Umberg. His public record includes staff work, municipal office, service in the Legislature and an announced State Senate campaign.
ROOTS
Valencia was born in Anaheim on November 12, 1988, to parents of Mexican descent. He attended Katella High School, Fullerton College, San Jose State University and Johns Hopkins University.
Playing for the 2009 San Jose State Spartans football team, Valencia made one reception for seven yards.
His documented connections to Anaheim include his birth there and his service on the City Council.
THE PATH TO OFFICE
Valencia worked as Tom Daly’s political staffer from 2016 through 2022. That work began before Valencia was elected to the Anaheim City Council in 2020 and before he was elected to the Assembly in 2022.
In 2020, he ran for the Anaheim City Council to replace termed-out Lucille King. Valencia faced Annemarie Randle-Trejo and Jeannine Robbins and won the election.
Two years later, Daly announced his retirement from the California State Assembly, and the district was redistricted, leaving no incumbent in the 2022 election. Valencia entered the Assembly contest against three other politicians. He and Republican Mike Tardif advanced from the primary to the general election, where Valencia led Tardif in the votes and was elected to the Assembly in 2022.
In December 2024, Valencia announced that he would run for the California State Senate in 2026 to replace termed-out Senator Tom Umberg.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Valencia’s documented public record includes work as an Assembly staffer from 2016 to 2022, election to the Anaheim City Council, election to the Assembly and an announced State Senate campaign. The council race was to replace a termed-out member; the Assembly election followed Daly’s retirement and redistricting that left no incumbent; and the announced Senate campaign is to replace a termed-out senator.
The available biographical record identifies no named legislation, policy campaign, legislative vote, committee assignment or organized constituency associated with Valencia’s Assembly tenure. Without those details, no specific policy cause or alignment of interests can be established from this record.
The documented sequence includes Daly’s staff, the Anaheim City Council, the Assembly and an announced 2026 State Senate run. A fuller assessment of Valencia as a policymaker would require policy information not contained in the available record.
The record
4,393 events, each with its sourceACR 58 Sharp-Collins Consent Calendar Second Day
AB 824 Stefani Assembly Third Reading
ACR 70 Pellerin Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 460 Chen Assembly Third Reading
AB 291 Gipson Assembly Third Reading
AB 1120 Elhawary Assembly Third Reading
ACR 87 Nguyen Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
ACR 88 Jeff Gonzalez Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1076 Addis Assembly Third Reading
AB 554 Mark González Assembly Third Reading
AB 289 Haney Assembly Third Reading
AB 1398 Valencia Assembly Third Reading
AB 356 Patel Assembly Third Reading
AB 75 Calderon Assembly Third Reading
AB 598 Gipson Assembly Third Reading
AB 279 Patel Assembly Third Reading
AB 495 Celeste Rodriguez Assembly Third Reading
AB 477 Muratsuchi Assembly Third Reading
AB 1116 Berman Assembly Third Reading
AB 821 Gipson Assembly Third Reading
AB 1388 Bryan Assembly Third Reading
AB 468 Gabriel Assembly Third Reading
AB 788 Quirk-Silva Assembly Third Reading
AB 917 Ávila Farías Assembly Third Reading
AB 245 Gipson Third Reading Urgency
AB 742 Elhawary Assembly Third Reading
AB 912 Wilson Assembly Third Reading
AB 1052 Valencia Assembly Third Reading
AB 863 Kalra Assembly Third Reading
AB 845 Arambula Assembly Third Reading
AB 907 Chen Assembly Third Reading
AB 906 Mark González Assembly Third Reading
AB 616 Caloza Assembly Third Reading
AB 1131 Ta Assembly Third Reading
AB 90 Jackson Assembly Third Reading
AB 485 Ortega Assembly Third Reading
AB 1111 Soria Assembly Third Reading
AB 1041 Bennett Assembly Third Reading
AB 255 Haney Assembly Third Reading
AB 254 Gallagher Assembly Third Reading
AB 899 Ransom Assembly Third Reading
AB 935 Ransom Assembly Third Reading
AB 798 Calderon Assembly Third Reading
AB 858 Lee Assembly Third Reading
AB 1145 Jeff Gonzalez Assembly Third Reading
AB 635 Ahrens Assembly Third Reading
AB 1005 Davies Assembly Third Reading
AB 1375 Hoover Assembly Third Reading
AB 1156 Wicks Assembly Third Reading
AB 888 Calderon Assembly Third Reading