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
3,908 events, each with its sourceAB 1120 Elhawary Assembly Third Reading
AB 1127 Gabriel Assembly Third Reading
AB 1131 Ta Assembly Third Reading
AB 1136 Ortega Assembly Third Reading
AB 1288 Addis Assembly Third Reading
AB 1138 Zbur Assembly Third Reading
AB 1145 Jeff Gonzalez Assembly Third Reading
AB 1156 Wicks Assembly Third Reading
AB 1169 Jeff Gonzalez Assembly Third Reading
AB 1269 Bryan Assembly Third Reading
AB 1264 Gabriel Assembly Third Reading
AB 1263 Gipson Assembly Third Reading
AB 1261 Bonta Assembly Third Reading
AB 1201 Jackson Assembly Third Reading
AB 772 Lowenthal Assembly Third Reading
AB 1524 Judiciary Assembly Third Reading By KALRA
AB 560 Addis Assembly Third Reading
AB 740 Harabedian Assembly Third Reading
AB 1502 Berman Assembly Third Reading
AB 6 Ward Assembly Third Reading
AB 1503 Berman Assembly Third Reading
AB 359 Ramos Assembly Third Reading
AB 1521 Judiciary Assembly Third Reading By KALRA
AB 561 Quirk-Silva Assembly Third Reading
AB 675 Aguiar-Curry Assembly Third Reading
AB 535 Schiavo Assembly Third Reading
AB 419 Connolly Assembly Third Reading
AB 982 Carrillo Assembly Third Reading
AB 537 Ahrens Assembly Third Reading
AB 873 Alanis Third Reading Urgency
AB 1487 Addis Assembly Third Reading
AB 869 Irwin Assembly Third Reading
AB 543 Mark González Assembly Third Reading
AB 1344 Irwin Assembly Third Reading
AB 979 Irwin Assembly Third Reading
AB 866 Ortega Assembly Third Reading
AB 91 Harabedian Assembly Third Reading
AB 1255 Education Third Reading Urgency By MURATSUCHI
AB 864 Ward Assembly Third Reading
AB 413 Fong Assembly Third Reading
AB 853 Wicks Assembly Third Reading
AB 851 McKinnor Third Reading Urgency
AB 849 Soria Assembly Third Reading
AB 848 Soria Assembly Third Reading
AB 847 Sharp-Collins Assembly Third Reading
AB 846 Connolly Assembly Third Reading
AB 843 Garcia Assembly Third Reading
AB 841 Patel Assembly Third Reading
AB 61 Pacheco Assembly Third Reading
AB 836 Stefani Assembly Third Reading