Candace Valenzuela claims victory in Democratic primary for 24th Congressional District
Candace Valenzuela claimed victory over Kim Olson late Tuesday night in the Democratic primary runoff election for the 24th Congressional District.
Valenzuela, a former Carrollton-Farmers Branch school board member, earned 60.4% of the vote over Olson, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, who drew 39.6%, according to unofficial results.
She sent out a victory statement congratulating Olson on running a strong campaign.
“Today, we are one step closer to creating a Congress that works for the communities it serves, not corporations and major donors,” Valenzuela said in the statement. “Together, we’ve built a diverse, strong grassroots coalition that demands better of our elected officials and we’re ready to flip TX-24 blue in November.”
She will face Republican former Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne — who has been endorsed by President Trump and handily won the GOP nomination after besting four opponents in March.
Olson could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.
Van Duyne released a statement Thursday night saying for “the past four months, the Democrats have raced to the bottom in their primary to be the candidate most acceptable to the extremists who run their party.”
“The people of North Texas deserve a voice in Congress who is capable of strengthening our future and creating opportunities for our families and children — that will come from having Representation that vigorously works to empower people and families instead of vast, stifling government control.”
This district stretches from Northeast Tarrant County to Carrollton and Addison.
The 24th Congressional District was already targeted by Democrats after U.S. Rep. Kenny Marchant, R-Coppell, won re-election two years ago with 50.6% of the vote. Then it emerged as a key battleground when Marchant announced he wouldn’t seek re-election to the post he has held since 2005.
The district is considered a “toss up” by Politico.
Seven Democrats vied for the post in March, when Olson received 41% of the vote and Valenzuela 31.3%.
This race, like many across the country, has been overshadowed in recent months by the novel coronavirus and the candidates have tried to reach out to voters through television ads and social media.
Olson, who was one of the country’s first female pilots and spent 25 years in the Air Force, gained statewide recognition during her unsuccessful 2018 bid for Texas agriculture commissioner. She appeared to be the front-runner for the Democratic nomination last year after announcing her candidacy.
“When I see a problem, I fix it,” she told the Star-Telegram earlier this year, when asked why she was running for the post. “That’s why I battled the Air Force to open flight school to women, modernized the military’s response to sexual assault, and advocated for women veterans struggling to re-enter civilian life.
“That’s also why I want to continue my service to this nation as a member of Congress. At just 21 years old, I joined the Air Force. In my family there is over 200 years of collective military service to this nation. Service is in my blood. Just because I no longer wear a uniform doesn’t mean I’m done serving my country.”
Valenzuela — who, if elected, would become the first Afro-Latina to serve in Congress — has gained several high profile endorsements, ranging from U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro and his brother Julian to former presidential candidates Cory Booker and Kamala Harris.
“I’m running for Congress because the opportunities that allowed me to go from a kid in a homeless shelter to the first in my family to graduate college and serving my community on the school board are under attack,” she told the Star-Telegram earlier this year. “Washington needs more public servants who understand their constituents’ struggles.
“I understand, intimately, the impact when a family can’t afford a place to live or food to eat. I have also worked across the aisle on my school board to find solutions to issues like these. I will take those experiences to Congress to fight for everyone across the district.”
This story was originally published July 14, 2020 at 7:48 PM.
