Republican · Texas's 24th District · 2026
Beth Van Duyne
Van Duyne helped raise money for park shade structures when her daughter's eye condition made outdoor play difficult.
Biography
Beth Van Duyne describes her two children as the reason she entered public life, and recalls leaving home at 17 and putting herself through college.1 Her route to Congress included work as a consultant and business executive before serving in local government in Irving.2
Born in New York, Van Duyne graduated from Cornell University in 1995 and served on Irving's city council from 2004 to 2010.2 She became the city's first woman mayor in 2011, serving until 2017.12 She then worked as a regional administrator at the Department of Housing and Urban Development before entering Congress in January 2021.2
Van Duyne worked with Senator John Cornyn on legislation requiring the Small Business Administration to create a centralized website for federal small business compliance guides, which became law.3 The law also includes contact information for agency staff who can help businesses understand regulatory requirements.3 Her office also organized the 2026 North Texas Job Fair with elected officials, workforce organizations and community partners.4
Her congressional work includes the Ways and Means and Small Business committees.2 She has promoted the 2025 tax law's business provisions in discussions with employers, including a Grapevine roundtable where she emphasized extending earlier tax cuts and encouraging investment.5 The Republican faces Democrat Kevin Burge.6