Valorie J. Barton, a lifelong resident of Dayton and Liberty County, has announced her candidacy for the Texas House of Representatives for District 18 in the 2026 election. Barton, a former Dayton City Councilwoman, currently works as a Supply Chain Senior Contracts Manager overseeing multi-billion-dollar projects in construction, power generation, and fleet services. She is the first African-American woman to run for the Texas House in District 18.
Barton is known for her long-standing commitment to public service, community advocacy, and support for working families. Her roots in Dayton run deep. She is the granddaughter of a respected swine breeder and farmer, and she was raised by a grandmother who balanced raising chickens, baking, and caring for the family while keeping local homes and offices in order. Barton grew up in a single-parent household, relying on welfare at times before she and her mother rebuilt their lives. She often credits these early experiences with teaching her resilience, hope, and the value of hard work.
As a single mother of three, Barton worked tirelessly to provide for her children, sending all of them to college on a single income. Throughout her career, she has navigated the oil and gas industry and served as a government contractor during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Her commitment to education is evident in her continued pursuit of higher education while balancing career and family.
Barton’s political outlook centers on empowering individuals regardless of background, gender identity, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. She has long advocated for government transparency, accountability, and policies that support families in District 18.
Her campaign priorities include defending veterans’ benefits and ensuring they receive the respect and protection earned through their service. She also plans to support the local economy by reducing bureaucratic barriers, protecting local budgets, and advocating for farmers affected by high tariffs. Barton emphasizes strengthening small businesses and ensuring working families have opportunities to thrive.
On gun policy, Barton supports both responsible gun ownership and stronger protections for public safety. She respects the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun owners but believes military-grade assault weapons should remain with the armed forces and trained law enforcement. She advocates strengthening background checks, closing loopholes that allow dangerous individuals access to firearms, improving training and safe-storage requirements for certain weapons, and enforcing existing laws consistently. She describes her approach as practical and balanced, aiming to protect families, schools, churches, and small businesses while respecting the Second Amendment.
Barton also opposes political extremism and supports policies that protect democratic norms and civil liberties. She promotes reliable energy policy that safeguards jobs in the energy sector while expanding training and educational opportunities for workers. She backs first responders, police, volunteer fire departments, and city and county employees, and she calls for responsible budgeting and strong fiscal oversight by elected officials. Barton supports continued investment in infrastructure and efforts to attract new industrial development that will create jobs and strengthen local communities.
A survivor of domestic violence, Barton is an advocate for survivors’ rights and strongly supports women’s autonomy over their own health and choices. She describes herself as a conservative, common-sense Democrat who values fiscal responsibility, compassion, and steady leadership. She emphasizes her commitment to addressing the everyday concerns of District 18 residents and ensuring all communities are represented and respected.
Barton is asking voters for their support as she seeks to bring her experience, determination, and local perspective to the Texas House of Representatives.
You cant support human rights without protecting the unborn!!
I hope to hear more from this candidate. I like what I read.
Please define “military-grade assault weapons”, please elaborate “advocates strengthening background checks” (we already have federal background checks to legally purchase firearms), again elaborate “closing loopholes that allow dangerous individuals access to firearms” who/what is dangerous and what is the loophole? We have laws already that prohibit felons from possession of firearms, yet Liberty County ” just us” system routinely returns them back to the street to repeat. Criminals will always find a way to gain access to weapons, law abiding citizens must never be penalized or restricted from exercising our constitutional right to bear arms. Venezuelans had their firearms confiscated a few decades ago, how has that worked out? Our 2A is not for hunting, target sports. It is for the defense of a tyrannical government, let that sink in.
If this statement is true then why does her ad enforce that she is female she is African American she is all the trigger points , why can’t she just tell us what qualifies her to do the job, but no like all politicians gaslight trigger points.
What about just being an American, just a human being, how about what you want to accomplish in the position.
Barton’s political outlook centers on empowering individuals regardless of background, gender identity, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. She has long advocated for government transparency, accountability, and policies that support families in District 18.