Changes

In 2017, Valdez announced his candidacy for the District 80 seat in the Texas House of Representatives held since 1995 by his fellow Democrat, Tracy King, of Batesville in Zavala County. King is the only Anglo Democrat from a partly rural district in Texas; in 2015, he was one of only five Anglo Democrats in the entire House. Valez's filing papers were sent to the wrong address for the state Democratic Party in Austin. Valdez blamed the error on the search engine [[Bing]], which had not updated the party address since the headquarters moved to another location in [[Austin]] in 2015. By the time Valdez learned that his papers were invalid, the filing deadline for the position had lapsed by three days. Valdez lost his suit seeking placement on the ballot before the Texas Third District Court of Appeals and appealed to the Texas Supreme Court. Further complicating the case was the January 20 deadline for printing the ballots, which on that date can be sent to military personnel and others requesting mail-in ballots. Even if the Supreme Court had placed Valdez on the ballot, the addition would have needed the approval of the Democratic and Republican party chairs, sent to the vendor for printing, and returned to Webb County to be stamped with the official signature before the ballots could be shipped.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lmtonline.com/local/article/Former-Webb-judge-will-take-lawsuit-over-12470727.php|title=Former Webb judge will take lawsuit over candidacy application to Texas Supreme Court Lawsuit: Application for candidacy not filed on time because search engine Bing has wrong address listed for Democratic party HQ|author=Julia Wallace|publisher=''The Laredo Morning Times''|date=January 3, 2018|accessdate=January 6, 2018}}</ref>

In 2017, Valdez announced his candidacy for the District 80 seat in the Texas House of Representatives held since 1995 by his fellow Democrat, Tracy King, of Batesville in Zavala County. King is the only Anglo Democrat from a partly rural district in Texas; in 2015, he was one of only five Anglo Democrats in the entire House. Valez's filing papers were sent to the wrong address for the state Democratic Party in Austin. Valdez blamed the error on the search engine [[Bing]], which had not updated the party address since the headquarters moved to another location in [[Austin]] in 2015. By the time Valdez learned that his papers were invalid, the filing deadline for the position had lapsed by three days. Valdez lost his suit seeking placement on the ballot before the Texas Third District Court of Appeals and appealed to the Texas Supreme Court. Further complicating the case was the January 20 deadline for printing the ballots, which on that date can be sent to military personnel and others requesting mail-in ballots. Even if the Supreme Court had placed Valdez on the ballot, the addition would have needed the approval of the Democratic and Republican party chairs, sent to the vendor for printing, and returned to Webb County to be stamped with the official signature before the ballots could be shipped.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lmtonline.com/local/article/Former-Webb-judge-will-take-lawsuit-over-12470727.php|title=Former Webb judge will take lawsuit over candidacy application to Texas Supreme Court Lawsuit: Application for candidacy not filed on time because search engine Bing has wrong address listed for Democratic party HQ|author=Julia Wallace|publisher=''The Laredo Morning Times''|date=January 3, 2018|accessdate=January 6, 2018}}</ref>

Valdez never obtained ballot access; the Texas Secretary of State website lists Tracy King as unopposed for both the party's nomination and the general election as well.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://webservices.sos.state.tx.us/candidate-filing/cf-report.aspx|title=2018 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=February 7, 2018}}</ref>

Valdez never obtained ballot access; Tracy King still holds the House seat.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://webservices.sos.state.tx.us/candidate-filing/cf-report.aspx|title=2018 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=February 7, 2018}}</ref>

Meanwhile, Valdez's former opponent for county judge, Tano Tijerina, won re-nomination to a second term in the Democratic primary held on March 6, 2018. Tijerina turned back the challenge of Webb County Assessor-Collector Patricia A. Barrera and went on in November to defeat Republican Alfonso Ignacio "Poncho" Casso, a former member of the city council who advocated reducing property taxes.

Meanwhile, Valdez's former opponent for county judge, Tano Tijerina, won re-nomination to a second term in the Democratic primary held on March 6, 2018. Tijerina turned back the challenge of Webb County Assessor-Collector Patricia A. Barrera and went on in November to defeat Republican Alfonso Ignacio "Poncho" Casso, a former member of the city council who advocated reducing property taxes.