By Patrick Svitek
First in The Blast: Another national Democratic group is coming to Candace Valenzuela’s aid in the primary runoff for the 24th Congressional District.
End Citizens United tells us it’s spending “nearly $100,000” on a digital and mail campaign for Valenzuela, who faces Kim Olson in the July 14 runoff to replace retiring Rep. Kenny Marchant, R-Coppell. While the runoff has turned contentious lately, the paid effort by End Citizens United is positive, highlighting Valenzuela’s hardscrabble story and rejection of corporate PAC money in her campaign.
One of the mailers features an image of a kiddie pool with a teddy bear and a blanket inside it.
“Once homeless and sleeping in a kiddie pool outside a gas station — Candace Valenzuela learned that education was the key to a better life,” the piece says.
End Citizens United, which endorsed Valenzuela in May, adds to a growing list of national organizations spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on behalf of the former Carrollton-Farmers Branch school board member. The groups include the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and its allied Voter Protection Project, as well as the Latino Victory Fund, which recently launched an anti-Olson TV ad that Olson’s campaign is trying to get taken down.
Olson is getting more modest outside help via VoteVets, which is airing a positive TV spot on the retired Air Force colonel. The group has disclosed spending $109,000 on behalf of Olson, a retired Air Force colonel.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is targeting the 24th District in November. The GOP nominee is Beth Van Duyne.