Beth Van Duyne

Elizabeth Ann Van Duyne ( ; born November 16, 1970) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Texas's 24th congressional district since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, she was mayor of Irving from 2011 to 2017. She was an official in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the first Trump administration.

Early life and education Van Duyne was born in Albany, New York and lived in Amsterdam, New York, until she was seven years old and later lived in Cooperstown. In 1986, her family moved to Irving, Texas. She graduated from Greenhill School in Addison, Texas. She also graduated from Cornell University, magna cum laude, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in city and regional planning, government, and law.

Career

Van Duyne became dissatisfied with Herbert Gears, the Democratic Irving city councillor representing her, She ran against Gears in the 2004 election, and won. Gears was elected mayor in 2005. Van Duyne stepped down from the council in 2010, and successfully ran for mayor against Gears in the 2011 election. Also in 2015, when Ahmed Mohamed, a 14-year-old Muslim boy, was arrested for bringing a homemade clock, which teachers thought was a bomb, to school, Van Duyne defended the school's and the Irving Police Department's actions. She was named as a co-defendant in a defamation lawsuit initiated by Mohamed's father. Van Duyne was dismissed from the suit, based partially on the Texas Citizens Participation Act, a state law that "prohibits the use of lawsuits to intimidate or silence citizens and public officials from exercising their right of free speech." The entire suit was eventually dismissed by the judge, who ruled the plaintiffs had failed to prove officials discriminated against Mohamed.

In February 2017, Van Duyne announced that she would not seek a third term as mayor. In May 2017, President Donald Trump appointed Van Duyne as a regional administrator for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), overseeing Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Arkansas.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2020

After Kenny Marchant announced in August 2019 that he would not seek reelection to the United States House of Representatives, Van Duyne resigned from HUD so that she could run to succeed Marchant in representing , a suburban stretch between Dallas and Fort Worth, including parts of Denton, Dallas, and Tarrant counties. She received Trump's endorsement in early 2020 and won the Republican primary on March 3, defeating four rivals with about 65% of the vote.

In the general election, Van Duyne faced the Democratic nominee, Candace Valenzuela, a former Carrollton-Farmers Branch school board member. Van Duyne opposed the Affordable Care Act, saying it "has done profound damage to the healthcare of Americans." During the campaign, she ran advertisements in which she said she would protect laws that require preexisting conditions to be covered by insurance. Valenzuela criticized Van Duyne for not wearing a face mask or socially distancing at campaign events, in contradiction to public health guidance at the time. Van Duyne called Valenzuela a "coward" for not campaigning in person during the pandemic,

On November 3, Van Duyne defeated Valenzuela, 48.8% to 47.5%, even as Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden carried the district by 5 points. During the campaign, approximately $7.6 million was spent on advertisements against Van Duyne and $7.9 million on advertisements against Valenzuela. McDowell was previously the Democratic nominee for Texas's 24th congressional district in 2016 and 2018, losing both times to Kenny Marchant.

The 24th was competitive in the previous two elections, but redistricting maps released by Republicans in 2021 made the district much safer for Van Duyne. It was pushed into whiter, wealthier and traditionally Republican areas near Dallas and Fort Worth, including the Park Cities. This made the district 20 points more Republican than its predecessor, and also drew her 2020 challenger's home out of the district.

2024

Van Duyne ran for a third term and defeated Democrat Sam Eppler in the general election, winning 60% of the vote.

Tenure Van Duyne is one of 147 Republican lawmakers who voted to overturn results in the 2020 presidential election by objecting to Pennsylvania's electors on January 7, 2021.

Political positions Ukraine Van Duyne voted against H.R. 7691, the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022, which would provide $40 billion in emergency aid to the Ukrainian government.

Immigration Van Duyne sponsored H.R. 6202, the American Tech Workforce Act of 2021, introduced by Representative Jim Banks. The legislation would establish a wage floor for the high-skill H-1B visa program, thereby significantly reducing employer dependence on the program. The bill would also eliminate the Optional Practical Training program that allows foreign graduates to stay and work in the United States.

2024 Republican primary Van Duyne was named as part of the 2024 Trump campaign's Texas leadership team in March.

Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 Van Duyne was among the 71 Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.

Committee assignments

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations and Regulations (Chair) Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress

Caucus memberships Duyne with various content creators and Representative Yvette Clarke at the launch of the Creator Economy Caucus in June 2025. Republican Governance Group Congressional Western Caucus Creator Economy Caucus Co-Chair

Personal life Van Duyne met her former husband, Chris "Casey" Wallach, while they were attending Cornell University. and divorced in 2012 after being married for 17 years. Van Duyne confirmed she was in a relationship with Georgia congressman Rich McCormick in 2024.

In February 2021, a man died by suicide using a firearm outside of Van Duyne's home in Irving. The man was identified as Richard Christian Dillard, a former communications staffer for Van Duyne's 2020 House campaign.

Van Duyne is an Episcopalian.

Electoral history