Avelino Valencia

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.