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
3,765 events, each with its sourceAB 1406 Ward Assembly Third Reading
AB 1383 McKinnor Assembly Third Reading
AB 1382 Castillo Assembly Third Reading
AB 634 Jeff Gonzalez Assembly Third Reading
AB 1278 Harabedian Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1245 Stefani Assembly Third Reading
AB 292 Patterson Assembly Third Reading
AB 1235 Rogers Assembly Third Reading
AB 1198 Haney Assembly Third Reading
AB 1171 Patel Assembly Third Reading
AB 1165 Gipson Assembly Third Reading By WICKS
AB 1153 Bonta Assembly Third Reading
AB 1126 Patterson Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1080 Bryan Assembly Third Reading
AB 1049 Celeste Rodriguez Assembly Third Reading By JACKSON
AB 501 Papan Assembly Third Reading
AB 946 Bryan Assembly Third Reading
AB 883 Lowenthal Assembly Third Reading By BAUER-KAHAN
AB 35 Alvarez Third Reading Urgency
AB 805 Fong Assembly Third Reading
AB 34 Patterson Assembly Third Reading
AB 767 Alanis Assembly Third Reading
AB 748 Harabedian Assembly Third Reading
AB 96 Jackson Assembly Third Reading
AB 714 Fong Assembly Third Reading
AB 52 Aguiar-Curry Assembly Third Reading
AB 710 Irwin Assembly Third Reading
AB 685 Solache Third Reading Urgency
AB 673 Jackson Assembly Third Reading
AB 664 Alvarez Assembly Third Reading
AB 1359 Ahrens Assembly Third Reading
AB 647 Mark González Assembly Third Reading
AB 1349 Bryan Assembly Third Reading
AB 643 Wilson Assembly Third Reading
AB 1265 Haney Assembly Third Reading
AB 1204 Alvarez Assembly Third Reading
AB 277 Alanis Assembly Third Reading
AB 1159 Addis Assembly Third Reading
AB 72 Jackson Assembly Third Reading
AB 1070 Ward Assembly Third Reading
AB 1054 Gipson Assembly Third Reading
AB 230 Ransom Assembly Third Reading
SB 25 Umberg Senate Third Reading By Aguiar-Curry
AB 871 Stefani Assembly Third Reading
AB 1184 Patterson Assembly Third Reading
AB 768 Ávila Farías Assembly Third Reading
ACR 115 Bennett Consent Calendar Second Day
ACR 117 Sharp-Collins Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]
Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar