Texas-25 Candidate William Marks on Book Bans, Voter Suppression, and Congress Ethics

 

Host Amy McDonald interviews William Marks, a 22-year-old Navy combat veteran and Democrat running for Texas’s 25th Congressional District against incumbent Roger Williams. Marks discusses Texas gerrymandering and voter suppression, says recent redistricting made the race more competitive, and argues the district needs higher turnout. He lays out a platform focused on affordability, expanding healthcare, breaking up monopolies, and ethics reforms such as banning congressional stock trading, ending the lobbying revolving door, overturning Citizens United, and pursuing term limits. Marks also recounts organizing a coalition that helped overturn a Trump administration book ban at the U.S. Naval Academy and restore 381 books, and directs listeners to volunteer, donate, and find events via williammarks.com.

 

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00:00 Welcome to the Foolish Optimist Podcast

00:43 Introducing William Marks

02:00 William Marks' Motivation to Run

03:29 Gerrymandering in Texas

07:54 Challenges of Voter Suppression

11:33 Campaign Strategies and Grassroots Efforts

25:35 Book Banning and Advocacy

30:21 The Power of Collective Action

31:34 Affordability in Texas

33:07 Breaking Up Monopolies

35:22 Corporate Influence and Consumer Protection

40:32 Reforming the Political System

45:48 Economic Inequality and Corporate Welfare

50:33 Supporting Small Businesses

54:40 Community Engagement and Voting

55:18 Rapid Fire Questions