Francine Ly

Francine Ly (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 24th Congressional District. She lost in the Democratic primary on March 5, 2024.

Ly completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Francine Ly was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Ly earned an associate degree from Eastfield College in 1997 and a bachelor's degree from Purdue University Global in 2007. Her career experience includes working as a court coordinator and legal assistant. Ly has been affiliated with North Texas APAPA, NAACP, NAAPAC, North Texas Asian Democrats, the Texas Democratic Party, APALA, and NAARPA.^[1]^[2]

Elections

2024

Texas' 24th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 Republican primary)

Texas' 24th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Texas District 24

Incumbent Beth Van Duyne defeated Sam Eppler in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 24 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Beth Van Duyne (R)	60.3	227,108
	Sam Eppler (D)	39.7	149,518

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 376,626
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 24

Sam Eppler defeated Francine Ly in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 24 on March 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Sam Eppler	58.6	17,451
	Francine Ly	41.4	12,314

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 29,765
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Sandeep Srivastava (D)
Kamal Al Mahesh (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 24

Incumbent Beth Van Duyne advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 24 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Beth Van Duyne	100.0	75,982

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 75,982
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Heather Burlison (R)

Endorsements

To view Ly's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Ly in this election.

2022

General election

General election for Texas State Senate District 12

Tan Parker defeated Francine Ly in the general election for Texas State Senate District 12 on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Tan Parker (R)	61.4	213,018
	Francine Ly (D)	38.6	133,679

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 346,697
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Texas State Senate District 12

Francine Ly defeated Ferdi Mongo in the Democratic primary for Texas State Senate District 12 on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Francine Ly	73.3	21,951
	Submit photo	Ferdi Mongo	26.7	8,015

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 29,966
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 12

Tan Parker defeated Chris Russell in the Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 12 on March 1, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Tan Parker	71.1	53,212
	Chris Russell	28.9	21,657

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 74,869
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign finance

Endorsements

To view Ly's endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Francine Ly completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ly's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am First-Generation immigrant Texan, proudly grow up in East Dallas, currently living in Irving, with my husband and four children. I am a Certified Court Manager with prior experience as a District Legislative Director, a grassroots leader with decades of community and public service. The combination of my life experiences as a child refugee, has prepared me with the knowledge, skills, and temperament to build consensus with anyone willing to get the job done, and end the chaos that the MAGA Republicans have created in the People’s House. I obtain my associate degree from Eastfield Community College, and went on to complete the Paralegal program at El Centro Community College. Five years into my career, and upon becoming a mother, I was determined to show my children the importance of an education and went on to achieve my Bachelor’s in Legal Studies from Purdue.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

My commitment to America’s servicemembers and veterans are equal to the full measure of devotion that they have committed to our country. I am determined to make sure Veterans are provided with a smooth transition from active duty to civilian life by supporting legislation to give the VA and the Department of Defense the support that is needed to support our Veterans. Our Armed Forces and Veterans put their lives on the line daily to keep America safe. I will prioritize ensuring Veterans are provided the same top-notch benefits as government officials like guaranteed healthcare and housing.
I will work to codify Roe, as such my policies will ensure that everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, have the freedom to decide if, when, and how to become a parent or grow their families. I will keep fighting until every person, no matter where we live, how much money we make, or what we look like, has the freedom to make our own decisions about our lives and futures.
I grew up with products in our homes, stores, workplaces, and communities stamped “Made in America” and I will expand support for American manufacturing to ensure that for our future generation. My policies will be dedicated to bringing American Pride back to our shores through critical investments in local businesses.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As a naturalized citizen, I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in our political process and advocates for civil and voting rights, as the Chairwoman of the North Texas Chapter of APAPA, member of my local NAACP, AFL-CIO organization, Dallas Founder Lions Club, and other civically engaged and community based organizations.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

The political figure I hold in high regard is my mentor, The Honorable Dale Tillery. I worked for Judge Tillery before he decided to pursue a position as a State Representative. Initially, my late father was disappointed when he discovered I was working for a political candidate, as he generally held a negative view of politicians and politics. He believed that politicians lacked ethics and morals. However, by the time Judge Tillery completed his tenure as a State Representative, my father's perspective on politics and politicians underwent a complete transformation. Judge Tillery demonstrated to my late father that a political leader could embody ethics, morals, and serve as a voice for all constituents.

During his time as a legislator, Judge Tillery actively sought equitable outcomes for communities of color and advocated for marginalized and underrepresented constituents. I witnessed firsthand the manner in which he interacted with his constituents as a State Representative. He consistently displayed fairness, open-mindedness, and accessibility to all, regardless of their party affiliation. His approach aimed at fostering mutual learning to better serve constituents at the state capitol.

As a legal professional and part of his court staff, I observe Judge Tillery's dedication to refining his skills not for personal enrichment but to better serve, protect, and defend the most vulnerable, particularly our working-class citizens. He utilizes his life skills and knowledge to analyze and apply laws independently, fairly, and impartially, showing respect to all individuals appearing before him.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Effective leadership skills are a requisite for a successful officeholder.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I aspire to leave a legacy centered around the restoration of democracy.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I was very young - three maybe, it was while we were still in Cambodia. I recall seeing my mom experiencing labor pain and her telling to go out and play, which I did.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked a restaurant serving dim-sum off of carts, on weekends and holidays, for a few years, to supplement our family's income so I can afford materials and supplies.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Wonder woman

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I believe that my life journey has involved overcoming the traumatic experience of a genocide perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The legislative branch operates independently of the executive and judicial branches. My experience in legislative work and my familiarity with the intricacies of lawmaking, as well as my understanding of the judiciary's role in interpreting laws, align more closely with the responsibilities of a lawmaker. Given that I would be tasked with drafting, debating, and passing laws, having a background in law or a solid understanding of legal principles becomes particularly advantageous.

To sum up, the legislative branch, consisting of lawmakers, is responsible for the creation of laws, while the judiciary is responsible for interpreting them. Lawmakers who possess previous legislative experience and a grasp of legal principles can significantly enhance the efficiency of the legislative process.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

In the coming decade, the United States is anticipated to confront several substantial challenges. These encompass the imperative of addressing and recuperating from public health crises, exemplified by the recent COVID-19 pandemic, while also preparing for potential future health-related adversities. Additionally, a concerted focus will be required to alleviate the impacts of climate change, stimulate economic recovery, and navigate shifts in the job market induced by technological progress.

Moreover, attention is expected to be directed toward issues pertaining to social and racial justice, global relations, and the pervasive challenge of political polarization. The nation will need to grapple with the necessity for strategic investments in infrastructure, staying abreast of technological advancements, and undertaking healthcare reforms to ensure broad access and rectify existing disparities. These multifaceted challenges collectively represent a complex landscape that the United States will need to navigate in the years to come.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I am a supporter of implementing term limits in public office. Term limits play a crucial role in preventing the entrenchment of politicians and fostering a more dynamic and responsive political landscape. The core idea behind limiting the number of terms an individual can serve is to stimulate the infusion of fresh perspectives, nurture new leadership, and safeguard against the concentration of power in the hands of a few longstanding politicians.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Absolutely, within a representative democracy, my responsibility as an elected official is to serve the constituents in my district.

I am open to setting aside political considerations when evaluating legislation that could notably benefit my constituency. This willingness underscores my dedication to prioritizing the well-being and interests of the people I represent over partisan concerns. My commitment to addressing the needs of my constituents is a fundamental aspect of ensuring effective and responsible representation within our democratic system.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

State House of Representatives

          Terry Meza


          Victoria Neave Criado


          Jessica Gonzalez


          Gene Wu


          Former State Rep.


                     Harryette Ehrhardt


                     Terri Hodge


                     Roberto Alonzo

Dallas County Community College District 1 Trustee

          Dr. Catalina E. Garcia, M.D.

Dallas County Commissioners

          Dr. Theresa Daniel – 1

          Andrew Sommerman - 2

Dallas County- County Clerk

          John Warren

Dallas County- District Clerk

          Felicia Pitre

          Former District Clerk

                     Gary Fitzsimmons

Dallas County Constable Precinct 2

          Deanna Hammond

Dallas City Council

          Omar Narvaez - Dist 2


          Paula Blackmon - Dist 9


          Former Councilwoman


                     Vonciel Jones Hill

Euless City Council

          Tika Paudel

Carrollton City Council

          Richard Fleming

Former Carrollton City Council

          Pat Cochran


          Adam Polter

Democratic National Committee

Texas Asian Representative

          Ashley Cheng


          Former DNC Rep 

                      AJ Durrani

Texas Hispanic Representative

          Celina Vasquez

Texas State Democratic

  Executive Committee


          Frederick "Nic" Nickens - 8


          Dylan Russell - 13


          Diana Branson - 22


          Wesley Lue - AADT


          Former SDEC


                   David Bradley


                   Emad Salem


                   Ferdinand Mongo

Former Texas Democratic

   Party Chair


          Boyd Richie

Former Dallas County

    Democratic Party Chair


          Carol Donovan

Former Dallas County Democratic

   Executive Directors:

          Steve Tillery


          Carmen Ayala


          Colleen Martin

Muslim Democratic Caucus of Texas

North Texas Democrats

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign website

Ly’s campaign website stated the following:

“

SENIORS & SOCIAL SECURITY
Francine is a champion for our Seniors and ensures that their Social Security stays untouched and fully funded by the federal government. Americans have worked their whole lives in service of the American Dream and we owe it to them to protect Social Security today, tomorrow, and forever.

AFFORDABLE, QUALITY HEALTHCARE
Francine will keep up the fight until all Americans can access secure, affordable, high-quality health insurance—because she fundamentally believes health care is a right for all, not a privilege for the few.

"MADE IN AMERICA"
Francine believes more products in our homes, stores, workplaces, and communities should be stamped “Made in America” and will expand support for American manufacturing. She is dedicated to bringing American Pride back to our shores through critical investments in local businesses.

VETERANS
Francine's commitment to America’s servicemembers and veterans are equal to the full measure of devotion that they have committed to our country. She is determined to make sure Veterans are provided with a smooth transition from active duty to civilian life by supporting legislation to give the VA and the Department of Defense the support that is needed to support our Veterans. Our Armed Forces and Veterans put their lives on the line daily to keep America safe. I will prioritize ensuring Veterans are provided the same top-notch benefits as government officials like guaranteed healthcare and housing.

FAMILY
Our district deserves a leader who will always put our values and children first. Francine will never stop fighting to ensure the safety of our families and communities.

That means Francine will not stop until the Child Tax Credit expansion has been codified. Our children are the future and we must make needed investments in their education and well-being.

For too long, we have short-changed our children by underfunding public education. Francine will sponsor bills to cap Student Loans interest rates at an affordably low rate.

REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM
Francine believes that everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, should have the freedom to decide if, when, and how to become a parent or grow their families. She will keep fighting until every person, no matter where we live, how much money we make, or what we look like, has the freedom to make our own decisions about our lives and futures.

GUN POLICY
Francine believes in responsible gun ownership and common-sense gun control measures to prevent tragedies. She supports universal background checks, red flag laws, and closing the gun show loophole. Francine will work to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens while promoting responsible gun ownership and meaningful reform. She will work to address the root causes of gun violence through mental health services and violence prevention programs. Francine is committed to the safety of our children- that is Non-negotiable. ^[3]

”

—Francine Ly’s campaign website (2024)^[4]

2022

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released February 21, 2022

Francine Ly completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ly's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a first generation Asian American, a proud Texan, grew up in Dallas, educated in Dallas ISD public school system, a middle-class working mother of four, a life-long activist running for Texas State Senate 12, newly configured and open seat. I have been a legislative staff to the Hon. Dale Tillery from Jan. 1995 to Jan. 2001. I have a BS in paralegal studies and is a certified court manager in the 134th District Court since Dec. 2010. I am the chairperson for APAPA North Texas Chapter and for the Election Monitor Committee of the National Asian American PAC.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Our economy must benefit all Texans. A robust public and higher education opportunities are critical for our future.
Healthcare is a right and women’s rights are human rights.
A representative democracy is only truly representative if every single citizen is guaranteed the inalienable right to vote in fair and open elections.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Education is the most important tool we have and I am a product of public education and I am proud of it. I attended community college while working full-time to support my family. I believe everyone should have the ability to obtain a quality education through our public schools and that teachers should be compensated properly and fairly. We should be competing for the best teachers by offering incentives and wages to match. We should be funding public education at higher level and offering the best resources to ensure students are given every opportunity to succeed. We should not be teaching to a test but rather we should teach tailored to students abilities and needs. Higher education should be equitable and affordable. Education is the essential building block for life, employment, and understanding of man and his environment. Without a solid foundation rooted in education, we will have a underdeveloped workforce and will be unable to compete on a global stage.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Beside my late father, the person I most admire has been my mentor, The Honorable Dale Tillery.

I worked for Judge Tillery prior to his decision to run for State Representative in 1994. My late father was disappointed when he found out I was working for an office-candidate as he never looked fondly on politicians and politics. My father believed politicians lacked ethics and morals. However, by the time Judge Tillery left office as a State Representative, his views on politics and politicians were completely changed. Judge Tillery showed my late father that a political leader could be ethical, moral, and be a voice for all constituents.

As a legislator, Judge Tillery pursued equitable outcomes for communities of color and advocated for marginalized and underrepresented constituents. I saw firsthand every day the way he treated his constituents as a State Representative. He was always fair, open-minded, and available to all no matter their party affiliation, aiming to learn from one another so that he could better serve them at the state capitol.

As a legal professional, and as part of his court staff, I see him devoted to honing his skill, not to enrich himself, but to better serve, protect and defend those most vulnerable: our working class citizens. I see him using all his life skills and knowledge to analyze and apply the laws independently, fairly, and impartially, and with respect to all those appearing before him.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The residents of Senate District 12 will be my sole interest and be the ones whom I will be working for during my term of office and they will always be heard and respected.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I really don't want to talk about it as it involves the birth and death of my brother, while we were still in Cambodia, still living at our farm. May be when I was 3 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first paying job was as a dim sum cart pusher for about 3 years when I was about 14-15 years old.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Wonder Woman.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

For the longest time, I had struggled with my English comprehension skills, as I did not learn to read, write nor speak the English language until I was 9, when I was finally enrolled in our public school system.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Our system of government consist of three branches of government, which are equal and independent of one another.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Education, healthcare and the environment is the state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

In a district as diverse as Senate District 12, a good policymaker must be an honest, non-judgmental listener, through mutual respect and with understand of each policy position, can we start working towards a compromise to reach an agreeable resolution.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Francine Ly campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Texas District 24	Lost primary	$74,937	$75,032
2022	Texas State Senate District 12	Lost general	$159,742	$96,121
Grand total			$234,679	$171,153
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission *This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

External links

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Candidate

U.S. House Texas District 24

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 21, 2022
↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on January 23, 2024
↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
↑ [afrancinelyfortexas.com/issues Francine Ly for Congress, “Issues,” accessed January 18, 2024]

[show]

Texas' current delegation to the United States Congress

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Nathaniel Moran (R)

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Daniel Crenshaw (R)

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Keith Self (R)

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Pat Fallon (R)

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Jake Ellzey (R)

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Lizzie Fletcher (D)

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Pete Sessions (R)

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Wesley Hunt (R)

Republican Party (27)

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Vacancies (1)

[bio1-1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 21, 2022

[bio2-2] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on January 23, 2024

[quotedisclaimer-3] Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

[4] [afrancinelyfortexas.com/issues Francine Ly for Congress, “Issues,” accessed January 18, 2024]

[1]

[2]

[3]

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Francine Ly

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for U.S. House Texas District 24

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 24

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 24

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

2022

General election

General election for Texas State Senate District 12

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Texas State Senate District 12

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 12

Campaign finance

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Campaign website

2022

Video for Ballotpedia

Campaign finance summary

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Footnotes

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