Sergeant Major (Ret.) Lucio Valdez announces Republican candidacy for Texas House District 52
Republican Lucio Valdez announced that he is running for the Texas House of Representatives, District 52. Valdez retired from the U.S. Army in 2017 after 33 years of active and reserve service. He was deployed overseas seven times on long-range reconnaissance missions, and on counterdrug operations along the Texas-Mexico border. At the time of his retirement, Valdez held the rank of Sergeant Major (E-9), which is the Army’s highest rank for a non-commissioned officer. He is also a retired police officer and SWAT Team Leader. Valdez served a three-year term on the Hutto City Council and a three-year term on Congressman John Carter’s Veteran Commendation Board.
“I am passionate about serving my community and giving my all to make the world a better, safer place for us and our future generations. My experience comes from real life in the real world, not the pedigree of political elites. Whether in uniform or at city hall, I learned by doing from the most basic level. As your state representative, I will focus on practical solutions to real problems, not the hollow partisan games that are too common in politics today,” said Valdez.
Valdez cited improving community safety, border security, public education, fiscal responsibility and economic opportunity among his issues of highest concern. “The American Dream is being threatened like never before by challenges to our safety and security at home, and by radical political agendas that endanger our economic prosperity with job-killing regulations and costly entitlements. I ask you to join me in confronting these challenges head-on and fighting for policies that solve problems while honoring the values that made our country great,” said Valdez.
Valdez enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1984 and served 17 years in Army Ranger and Long-Range Surveillance Units, where he gathered human intelligence on high-value and high-impact targets. While a reservist, Valdez worked as a police officer and holds Master Peace Officer and Peace Officer Instructor certifications. As a SWAT Team Leader, he led trainings at schools, colleges, airports, and ports on how to respond to high-risk critical incidents like active-shooter events. His SWAT background includes hostage rescues, apprehension of dangerous fugitives, and serving high-risk narcotics search warrants.
Following 9/11, Valdez was called back to active duty and was assigned to West Point as an infantry tactics instructor before moving to the Pentagon, where he was responsible for regularly briefing the Secretary of Defense and Chief of Staff for the Army during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. He was also part of the team that established the first Electronic Warfare Division at the Pentagon.
Valdez’s final post on active duty was at Fort Hood, Texas, where he was responsible for training soldiers on military decision-making and preparing them for deployment overseas. The Valdez family moved to Williamson County in 2008, where his wife, Bridget, taught elementary school at Hutto ISD until her retirement in 2017. Lucio and Bridget Valdez have been married for 27 years and have three children. They are members of Discovery United Methodist Church in Hutto.
Area Realtor and Republican Precinct Chair Anne Cano expressed her enthusiasm for Valdez’s candidacy. “I’ve seen Lucio’s leadership on the Hutto City Council and in the community, and he is the perfect candidate for the Republican Party to rally behind. He has an amazing work ethic and an unwavering commitment to our values and this community. I am excited that he has once more answered the call to service and look forward to our party uniting behind him to achieve a Republican victory in 2020.”
Round Rock City Councilman Matt Baker echoed Cano’s praise, saying, “Lucio is a person dedicated to his community and to his country. His lifetime of service before self is motivating and refreshing.”
Texas House District 52 includes Round Rock, Hutto, Taylor, and portions of Georgetown.
"My experience comes from real life in the real world, not the pedigree of political elites. Whether in uniform or at city hall, I learned by doing from the most basic level. As your state representative, I will focus on practical solutions to real problems, not the hollow partisan games that are too common in politics today"
Lucio Valdez