 Hi everyone, I am here with a congressional candidate running to represent California's 26th district His name is Daniel Wilson and he is running as a non-partisan individual, but a progressive leftist and He's here to talk about his campaign Daniel. Thank you so much for coming on the program. Thank you so much for having me Mike, it's a pleasure to be here So what made you want to run for Congress because this is out of all the candidates that I've spoken with It's very very tiring. It's grueling and on top of that You know you This is self-sacrifice, right? So what made you want to run and what kind of influence your decision to run as non-partisan? So there's a lot that kind of goes into that. So the final I would say the final straw for me deciding to run was just the 2020 pandemic and you know the entire year 2020 just blew the doors wide open and you know We knew that there were some corruption and we knew that there was these problems But it kind of all just got laid wide open and So I just I kept watching kept kept watching and you know We we protested at my my member of Congress's house last summer with the People's Party demanding You know the people stimulus cancel rents mortgages Medicare for all these things I've since pulled pulled away from the People's Party and and I'm running completely non-partisan and the reason for that is because In my conversations with people whether it was I worked at my county elections office I volunteered at the polls for a number of years and then also just in my political act You know being engaged with with politics when you have conversations with people one of the first things they want to say is well You know are you there? You're a stupid Democrat or you're a dirty Republican and and I would say well actually no I'm neither and like you'd see them physically relax And then we go. Oh What does that mean or tell me about that and so instead of them? You know instead of things going tribal and everybody like hunkering down on their sides and just it they we actually have a conversation and We're able to create dialogue and find that we agree on more things than we disagree on and so That's plus, you know what we watched happen with with Bernie Sanders in 2020 and 2016 and 2020 and what the DNC did to him The complete coalescing of the establishment candidates right to trounce somebody and then we just continue watching it And I mean Nina Turner was one of the final blows where we see the DNC the GOP and you know Israeli lobbyists Coalescing behind the establishment candidate that they know that they can control to silence somebody who they know is going to go in there and change things and There's a lot of conversations to be had about what what Nina has been doing since then But I know that she would have gone in there and been a fighter for us And I know that there would she would have been one of the best things that we've never had seen in Congress yet I think that she really would have bolstered the squad and kind of reinvigorated them But all of all of the hamstring all of the all of the dirty dealings all of the back door stuff all of the putting their finger on the scale Just I just didn't want to I just absolutely didn't want to be a part of it And so my the incumbent that I'm running against is a establishment corporate Dem She won't cosign Medicare for all she won't co-sponsor the Green New Deal while sending letters to the constituents saying I support Medicare for All and I'm a climate advocate, but you won't come co-sponsor the legislation So But she's she's she's not she's not you know a party star, but she tells the party line every time She's a good soldier. She gives money when she's told she supports the people She showed up to back Newsome in the recall, you know, she does what she's told She follows she follows orders and so she votes party line 98 99 percent of the time and They're never they were never gonna support me anyway So, you know, I've had a lot of pushback a lot of people who you know our leftists are still like Oh gotta run Democrat or you're never gonna make it gotta run Democrat or you're never gonna make it I'm so tired of hearing that and that's exactly why I'm determined to make it because until somebody like me makes it through I mean Bernie did it Bernie run got into Congress as an independent. So this isn't even Completely breaking the mold here. This has been done. We've had independent members of Congress People just don't like it. So they continue to tell you that it can't be done and for a variety of reasons Their conflict is either they don't want it to change or they truly don't believe it's possible either way We did we need to make change and so yeah, all of that is kind of why I decided to run Why I decided to throw my hat in the ring I knew that our community and our our district needed better and then also having a fighter in Congress Here and there would also make huge differences not only in our local community but nationally as well Yeah, I think that's really interesting. Um, I'm of the belief that basically 99 times out of 100 duverges law will hold and unless you run in one of the two parties in most districts It's it's you don't have a chance but in california It's interesting because you all have this jungle type primary I'm not sure what it's called and I've kind of warmed up to it because we have it in uh, california in Washington, but Oregon out of the you know, west coast is the only state that doesn't have it and we all voted it down And I think it was 2014 and now I kind of regret that because it does open the door to um, you know, uh socialist candidates non-partisan candidates which is really interesting because I think that you're right about this idea that so many So many people see that party label as a non-starter But at the same time you also see a lot of people normally Democrats So I think that leftists should probably try to win over somehow They're also loyal to the party. So as leftists we have the most difficult job Like we have to walk that fine line Of trying to make sure that we don't scare away the normies because we don't want them to think we're these like extremists Uh, who are gonna, you know, I don't know take take away their private property Uh, and we also have to um, you know, we have to Work to an extent with people who we don't like so I like that you're kind of using this unique opportunity To run as a non-partisan because in a way it gives you an advantage I mean, there are pros and cons. I'm sure right like you um, you you don't get access to the infrastructure that the democratic party has But at the same time as a marketing standpoint You really can appeal to people who I think are non-voters who are dissatisfied with the status quo more independent minded And I think that even if you change the way that you explain some policies You might be able to appeal to some open minded right wingers Not all of them and it depends on how you sell certain policies But I think that you have that opportunity. Uh, what is the reception that you've received? Um, because I'm sure that you've held, um, you know events I'm not sure if you're doing in-person events and whatnot. What's the reception that you've received from someone that you kind of talked about How they were immediately like their guards were up when you said I'm running for congress But when you told them you weren't a democrat or a republican Can you recall a single person who was like either conservative leaning? Like did that actually change and make them more open to left-wing ideas? Because I think this is really important to learn about Yeah, and so I think that Yes, so specific conversations I actually had one um, so uh, one of the local community members here does a pop-up in the uh It's basically just a lot, but she's she does a pop-up where she lets local um Merchants and vendors and and food people come and and do stuff and she's Raising money to turn that into a sensory garden for for our homeless community because that's Some of the best things that we can do is just try and give them a safe place to be Where they they aren't going to be hassled and and and harangued by the by the police or the authorities. So, um At this at this pop-up event. Um, I was talking to this gentleman and he's he's a veteran like myself Um, much much older veteran and he even he even told me he said I'm conservative I vote republican every time um And not only did this gentleman end up spending the two hours in the cold talking to me I can see him start to shiver and he still kept talking to me still was fully engaged And um, not only that he he came back the next week and he has called me and we are now going to go out to lunch one day this week. Um, so There's him specifically, but then also there's another gentleman who I've connected with online. Um, we did a live stream on on his thing and and he considers himself, uh He voted for bernie 2016 the primary but he says he took a hard right where the rest of us went left He he voted trump in our recall. He was supporting larry elder and just on the face of those facts Right, just on the face of those facts him and I would not get along We would have nothing to conversate about Him and I did a live stream on one of his his, uh, IG live streams that he does and we talked for four hours Not once where we root are disrespectful Not once did we get into any type of screaming match and we disagreed on on a handful of things But we actually agreed on more than we disagree. Um, he considers himself more of libertarian more of a moderate And so, you know, he's for medicare for all but we disagree on how to do it. And so that's what I've really found is that It's it's the slogans. It's the it's the misinformation and it's it's I mean it really boils down to all of it It's just information. Um With medicare for all with deep on the police with you know, climate change green new deal all of that I mean even how long did it take us? To shift from global warming to climate change Because we couldn't get anybody to believe in global warming while there was snow on the ground right it's messaging and it's it's What I've found and especially so I guess the best example I could give you Um, rather than a specific person is a specific policy. So deep on the police My father is a police officer. My uncle is a police officer. My cousin is a police officer Um, they've also served in the military and a variety of things. And so, um, both my parents voted for trump in 2016 I'm kind of the unicorn. Um, they had they didn't in 2020 and I'd like to take a little bit of credit for that. Um My mom is even Yelling about medicare for all now because she had to pay for her rehab She she had to stop going to rehab after her breast cancer surgery because uh, it was $60 a time and she couldn't afford to it Anyway, I'm not even answering your question anymore. Um, let's go back to the specifics So, um, we're talking about deep on the police when you say that immediately The conservatives republicans even some even a lot of democrats shut down. They don't want to hear it They don't want to talk about it. They love their police support the blue all of that. Um, and It takes someone who is in a police family who has been and involved in for me to kind of break through and so There's a lot of unique traits about myself where I don't fit into any one thing I'm a veteran, but I'm trans. You know, I was raised by conservative republicans, but I'm very much in extreme leftist Um, I'm not a politician. I think that's one of the best things about me. Um, so Uh, those things kind of give me a little bit of an edge and a little bit of advantage Or a way to speak to somebody that wouldn't wouldn't hear something else and and it's giving me a unique opportunity And so with the fun the police so I say look You might not like that slogan. You know, I you know, you bristle against it Let's talk about the facts and the ideas instead. Let's remove. Let's get rid of the slogan Let's look at the amount of police funding the amount of police responsibility If you love and support your police, then you should actually want us to pull back these things and because I know personally I don't want my dad going to deal with people who are on a 51 50 who are our psych, you know Psych having suicidal issues or any type of other mental thing. He's not trained for that He's a good dude and I don't believe that he would shoot them But he's not a trained mental health professional and he should not be sent to handle things like that And so when you bring it from a perspective of look these police officers over decades have been given more and more social societal responsibilities without any training or handling on how to do such, you know They're given a spit smock right like police have a thing to put over somebody's head so they can't spit on you Like this stuff is insane and that's that's their that's their training, right? They're trained to contain And bring things down and to to stop and even even our de-escalation training to go better But I won't go so so so short-sighted as to say that all we need is police reform I think we need police reform. I think we absolutely need to the way I've been stating it is we need to divest From police services and reinvest into our community So instead of just shutting down the police department. What I'm saying is is remove some of their responsibilities Let's create a mental health rapid response team and train our dispatchers to know when somebody's calling in Do they need a police officer? Is there a violent armed situation that they are encountering? Are they somebody on the side of the road who just needs maybe something like a transit support or something? A transportation support you got a flat tire you've been in a car accident Somebody with a gun doesn't need to be at a scene for a car accident Somebody with a gun doesn't need to be handling somebody who wants to kill them So especially when we have now seen repeatedly people use that to kill themselves Because they know that they pointed gun at a police officer. They're gonna get shot Well, maybe we stop sending police officers to deal with people who are suicidal that will stop happening And to save the police officer too because if they had to take down somebody that that sticks with them Right and I know that there's a lot of things that can be said about that But we don't put them in that situation. We remove the opportunity for it to go back And so that's that when I when I talk about that when I talk about it from a perspective of Helping the police helping the community providing more resources instead of just the police are bad We need to destroy them then people will start to hear you and so I really think it is it's It's messaging and it's how we come about it But I also don't think we need to kowtow and bow and and acquiesce to anything either Yeah, we still need to push hard for these things, but we can adjust the way we discuss it and focus on More reparative than destructive That's that's really interesting the way that you're describing it is it seems like they're really receptive to your message And you're kind of demystifying all of these ideas that are seen as you know, this is the boogeyman, right? Yeah, and that's interesting because if you hear about a candidate who's trying to win over Everyone trying to appeal to conservatives you would expect. Okay. Well, what's getting what's getting cut? What's on the chopping block? What are you sacrificing to appeal to them? But that is not the case looking at your platform. It's amazing You are running with reparations front and center Medicare for all and so to have that message And and to not water it down but rather explain it. I think that really can go a long way It just is a mean a matter of reaching out to enough people to win this this election or make it into the runoff That's when you really that's that's you know, when you have a huge opportunity I wanted to ask you about your history in this particular district And if you were an activist in the district if you lived in the district What is your relationship to the district and how do you feel like you can meet the specific needs Of the people in that district because I think that nationally speaking your politics are really really popular But what do you think is the main issue that is really going to galvanize voters in this district to vote against that incumbent? Sure. So a couple things and actually something that we went through last night is a perfect example We were on a five hour city council call last night There was over 80 of us that showed up to speak on one agenda item We were proposing rent control measures for venture county of oxenard city specifically and I was so proud and so moved that so many people showed up Like I said 80 and there's a wonderful new law that has been passed where they have to give us three minutes each for public comment No questions, they cannot remove or do anything about that no matter what you are saying And you know, there's there's good and bad to that. Um, I've seen some of the viral videos Sometimes they get sometimes they get a little abuse But um, I think that it's time I think that that is exactly how we put pressure on these people and that's exactly how we hold their feet to the fire Showing up at these things and letting our voice be heard So specifically so venture county. So I'm actually a transplant here. I was born and raised on the east coast of maryland I lived there until I was about 24 and I joined the navy. Um, I went to chicago for my training went to florida for my training And then I got order station to point magoo here in california venture county I got off of the plane in november and it was 70 degrees and I said, I'm never going back. What is this amazing place? So I've never liked the cold maryland doesn't get enough snow to make it worth it. Anyway, so I love it here. So I've been here since 2009 Um, I've lived in port wanimi a small state a small military city here There's two bases in my county, which is really interesting. Um, one is the cb base. Um, it's the major base It's the port. It's the actual the naval port as well And then there's a smaller base point magoo that I was stationed at which is more aviation So I was I was aviation structural mechanic here at point magoo I got out in 2013 and I started going to college. I used my gi bill So I go into our local community college. I use the transfer program to get into our um, university here graduated with my bachelors and um as most of us know you can basically wipe your butt with bachelors today I was lucky. Unfortunately. Yeah, right when I when I graduated with my bachelors I was so thankful to get a job at starbucks as a shift supervisor for 16 dollars an hour It was the most money I'd ever made in my life too. So I was happy. Um, so that was great Um, but so that that was kind of my first. So, um, why wasn't the military kind of in and out not really involved? to be honest Going to school was really my first getting getting to know my community and getting engaged and involved in local events Nothing active this wise. I'm not going to give myself that much credit. Um, but then, you know going forward When I was working at starbucks in 2017 2018 That was when we had some of the worst fires that we had ever seen in california and the community response Was amazing like I'm getting chills just thinking about it. It was amazing We would have people we had firefighters coming in when I was working at starbucks And people would say I'm buying their coffee and do a little things like that, right? And that's how it started and then we had people start coming in buying whole buckets of coffee and and scones and Pastries and stuff and taking it to the lines taking it out to the firefighters on the line Or to the department to the to the fire station and they were taking it out And so we as some of the shift managers there we decided to do that same thing the end of our shift We took a whole bunch of coffee We got some food and a bunch of different things masks and we went and we went fire department by fire department we went we went um Volunteer station by volunteer station And they kept turning us away Because so many people had donated and brought them things that they weren't going to be able to use it And so it took us probably about an hour or two to just find a place that still had need And I was just so blown away at the community response showing up because there this isn't just food There people were bringing clothes to like their people's houses were being burned down people were being not evicted But um evacuated from their from their homes and so you know running with just the clothes on your backs Even if you know you might have your belongings to go back to we were people were getting put up at hotels The city paid for for things like that to happen That was really when a lot of stuff community wise started changing for me And I saw the beautiful place that I lived in and it has not stopped everything It just keeps going and and through the pandemic as well. There's a bittersweet Specific thing that happens here in our community that I wish didn't have to happen But it's so beautiful still when I see it I didn't understand it at first when I saw it. I saw people on the street You know doing car washes to raise money Um, which you know, you see you boys and girls clubs and cheerleaders and sports teams do that But these were different and and I pulled into a couple come to find out They were raising money to be able to bury their loved one And so it is actually a regular thing here You know, maybe not once a month, but several times at least throughout the year just in our city So I can only imagine throughout the state or throughout the country if this exists Where they are doing car washes and you know selling sweets and you know, they have you know What's awesome is some of the food truck vendors show up and give You know rate any of the funds they give they give to the family and stuff like that And so yeah, but people have to Do car washes to to bury their loved ones But our community shows up and shows out to make sure That they have what they need to do so Um, yeah And so all of that has really just made me fall in love with oxard more and more oxard ventura The the entire community here in ventura county. Um, I specifically am really close to oxards So that is where I I see a lot of this stuff happening um And it's also the community that that needs the support the most and you know to go into your so Bernie Sanders 2016 Was what awoken me to any type of politics for most of my life. I was a non-voter To be honest, I didn't even vote when rock obama was being elected Part of that was I was in the military and I I didn't I believe in the absentee voting Because in maryland at the time they just stuffed them in a basement and it did never get counted unless there was a tie Those are very electoral things. It's absolutely need to be changed. Yeah, there's some states where that's actually The absentee balance are only counted. I Don't know all of the states, but there are some states where the absentee balance are only counted if there is a tie that seems Weird Yeah, interesting There's also was over a decade ago. So I do not know what current legislation is on the books, especially in maryland I have not been there for over a decade Um, and I might have been misinformed at the time truly because that is also another part of yeah I was gonna say that sounds like a big scandal. So I would I would I would imagine that's not the case And I definitely I definitely should maybe uh do a little do some background research on that But that was that was my belief. Let me let me start saying that it was my belief that my vote didn't matter Anyway, so I didn't right And that is that is that is the point right? That's what they want us to believe Yeah, so 2016 bernie sanders woke me up started volunteering at the polls So from 2016 2017 with the working with bernie sanders campaign volunteering at the polls Watching our the fires devastated our community the community outpouring and I just haven't been able to stop this I volunteered at the polls 2016 2018 2019. I got a job at my county elections office I put on three elections for us in this county last year Um through the pandemic. There's some of the craziest stuff. I've ever seen and been through in my life Also, the most rewarding and exhausting thing I've ever done in my life um And so but it wasn't until probably last year if I'm being fully honest where I started Being an activist and actively doing and calling for things So while I was doing things in my community and you know, like I said doing car washes and things like that And and you know supporting our community members. I didn't know how to do anything bigger And to be honest, it was kind of overwhelming when even you go to look at all of these social justice programs and and things like that Which one do I want to be a part of who's doing this who's doing what and sometimes it's so overwhelming that people just uh I'm just going to get involved when I can right Variety of things like that. Um, so I would consider myself uh at that point It's typical american, right? I'm just going about my business working and and doing the best that I can um until I saw What bernie showed us was possible is that our representatives could stand For us they could fight for us they could speak to and actually care about us and that when we showed up we could actually make a change and so in 2020 when the pandemic hit and you know just They gave us what one stimulus check of six hundred dollars and then said, you know, they they went on a three month vacation with with with nothing and no no concern for for any of us um So that was when I decided I I need to get involved I found out the dsa wasn't I didn't have really any intention at the time to create a political party So that's when I started working with the people's party. Um, I tried to form my own local chapter here We held some protests actually protested in front of my representative's house demanding that she fight for medicare for all Do do anything for us our homeless numbers were exploding every day I saw more and more people on the streets our food lines were miles long in every city Not just not just the poorest town, but the richest towns as well We're also having having food and security issues um and the silence from our leadership was absolutely In their abdication of any responsibility to to do anything like oh now we've passed an eviction moratorium So you're fine. Meanwhile, people are still being evicted or forced out of their homes for you know loopholes and other things that landlords are finding and uh So uh, kind of kind of all of that. I don't know if I even necessarily answered your question No, I I think that this is really like for you to talk at length That's really important because what I want viewers to do is get to know you Um, you know and get the opportunity to see who you are What was the catalyst for your political awakening? And it seems like you have a pretty similar story As a lot of people, uh, you know, bernie sanders on top of that you you have very clearly diagnosed the issues One thing I will say I did uh Look it up for your state So the absentee balance are counted. So I just want to correct that. Yeah, no no record here Yes. Yes. Okay. So fact check in in real time. Okay, but now I'm going to put you in the hot seat So we know that you have all the answers, right? We know that uh, if you're a viewer of the human support You're gonna like daniel's platform. I I guarantee it But as a legislator, it's a little bit different. Sometimes you get put into these weird predicaments that are sometimes bad sometimes morally gray and I just want to know in Hypothetical situations how you would uh deal with this just from your perspective. So let's say hypothetically speaking You worked really hard. You introduced a bill and uh, let's just say it's it's uh climate change related, right? It's not the green new deal, but it's a climate change bill and you've got lots of cosponsors You've got committee hearings on it and it's finally going to be put into a piece of our package Um, but even though this bill that you kind of worked really hard on your constituents want it You stake your career on it is in this package There's also a poison pill in that package at that poison pill is uh, let's say it's something to do with funding. Um I don't know. Um, or defunding uh public education or or police It's it's a really bad poison pill and it's it goes against everything you stand for but in that package is kind of your pride and joy as a lawmaker What do you do? Do you vote for that package? Passing what you want and accept that poison pill or do you withdraw? I would say there'd be a variety of factors that would go into that it would really depend, you know Where are the stakes is That the republicans or the the holdouts will only vote for this bill with that poison pill in there if that is the If we have exhausted all negotiations and we've gotten to the point where These these senators let's let's use a perfect example what we have going on right now christen cinnamon joe manchin who are holding out or saying that you know The leftists need to continue compromising and backpedaling and you know We've already been talked down from 10 to 6 to 3.5 and now they want us to accept 1.5 And you know, kory kory bush and jamal bowman absolutely slammed them on the radio on the That was great. It was absolutely you did a great episode on that as well. Um the it's That's that's what we need is that pushback. So I would do exactly what they're doing and more So not only and what what bernie is finally starting to do not only do we go and have on every news show every day the problem is always education and information and so where the the Major messaging failures are of the democratic party is They'll they'll they'll they'll tote and they'll all retweet these same things these same things the same things about this Garbage about oh, it's a gold star veteran day But we cannot get them to unify on these messaging on all these images on the platform Of what we need and they're always responding instead of instead of being for one So I would be on every news show every day every radio show everything I could do Me and the people that would be supporting me in fighting for this and then you hold rallies in those people's District you hold rote you tell protests at their houses you hold protests in their district and you inform Their constituents about what they are doing and what they are costing and what they are trying to shove down americans to write I would say that at the absolute end of the day I would exhaust every absolute possible option Rallying everybody letters to the editor like bernie just wrote good on him now all of a sudden joe mansion's like hey We're talking it worked. So those are the things that we need to do um I cannot say that there is never a poison pill that I would vote for If it gets my people healthcare if it gets my people housing and education I cannot say that there is not a poison pill. I will never vote for a congress There's probably some that i'm going to have I will do everything in my power and exhaust All options including sitting with my own two feet in their front door asking them why they won't I like that. I like that answer because you're being truthful and honest and you're thinking through You're not willing to just accept it. You're willing to fight but at the end of the day You know, you are telling us what you do as a lawmaker and I think that that's really important Okay, another hypothetical situation. I love hypothetical. So you'll have to bear with me. It's insufferable, but I love them. Um, okay, let's say You are trying to get a committee hearing for another piece of legislation that you really care about It's near and dear to your heart But one of the co-sponsors who you think is gettable is Not really willing to support you because it looks likely that you're going to endorse their primary opponent And they don't like that. They don't want you to do that. So in this situation, what do you do? Do you endorse their primary opponent and say, okay, I'll try to find the support somewhere else? Or do you realize this is pretty crucial and I kind of need his support? Maybe my my endorsement won't do much Tell me like what your thinking process would be in that scenario because it's really tough I I don't know what I would do, but I want to know what you would do as a lawmaker Sure, absolutely So I think that in the question is kind of the answer because that's another thing That's another tool in the toolkit that our legislators aren't using often enough when they get to a point where the The roadblock will not move, you know, Joe Manchin won't budge, Kristen Sinema won't budge Then you go primary them like that's the point. That's exactly what you should do And so that that would be the leverage I would tell the congressperson You're gonna vote for this or I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that you're primaried and That you're no longer supporting that you're no longer serving. Um, I said that really weird, but I don't know. I don't know how I would go and give them give them a good one too I'd probably say it better, but you know, basically set down the line that We need your vote on this and if you are not willing to do what the people need Then I am going to make sure that you get replaced by somebody Yeah, yeah, absolutely So use the use their primary challenger as the leverage instead of it being something that scares you away Lean into it. They're already concerned about it. Like Maybe if you vote for this legislation, then I wouldn't think Okay, I like that. I like that One more thing that I want to ask you I like your tactics because they're very aggressive Going to the houses of lawmakers is one of the most bad-ass things you can do because that's the number one thing that they hate Having said that though as a lawmaker yourself Odds are you'll face resistance and let's say you get elected You win and then there's this fox news segment from Tucker Carlson and he's saying look at this Californians elected Daniel Wilson who is a radical communist who's next he wants to take away your your housing He wants to take away your health care and there's this law, you know There's this it will happen if you get elected and then there's the you know a bunch of Republicans that are really resisting you they they show up just from a personal standpoint How do you deal with that pressure because it's one thing to anticipate it? But when it actually happens that it is inevitable if you get elected, how do you how do you think you would handle that? I mean you you have life experience. You're a veteran. You've been in predict in really unpredictable situations How do you think you would deal with that? Um, because I think that Normal people it would bog them down But how do you think you would hold up and it's impossible to say not having an experience that but talk through Your life experiences that you think kind of thickened your skin because I think that's really necessary if you're a member of congress Yeah, absolutely. I would say um, you know Growing up in my household with it did a little bit of it and then Anything that I wasn't hardened on the military definitely helped in that and you know, there's some good and bad to that But yeah, I said this on a podcast I was on last time, you know with with what we had the AOC being being yelled at on the floor by Nancy Pelosi and changing her quote I said that would never happen to me because there's nobody in congress That's gonna say or do anything worse to me than my rd season drill instructors did like you can't it doesn't matter I I've I've literally faced down some of the craziest stuff I've ever seen in my life. Um, there's there's nothing that you're screaming at me it's gonna do um I would say as far as You know, I have a purple district here It's it's it's it's mislabeled as a d plus 20 because we the democrats do have a slight majority numerically But the republicans show up in in strength and they they're The democrat's foothold isn't as strong as they would like to believe it is So we're more do you know the results from the last election in 2020 Very much. Remember. So let me let me answer this and then I can I can nail down all of that. Okay. Yeah It's actually all of that is why is another reason why I know that this can happen So, um, so I've got say I got republicans in my district Which there are a lot of there are a lot of conservative republicans in my district Even if we weren't a military town that you know, definitely adds to it. But all of that I'm not gun shy. I'm not afraid to go out and take some heat. I'm not afraid to deal with things What was interesting when I went and protested in front of julia brownlee's house is my incumbent Um, she sat in her car the entire I didn't realize it at the time But later I realized and put into stuff that we watched this this svb idle It was either her or her secret service. There's idle this car. I don't outside for three hours You care about the climate if I don't outside for three hours um While we were outside protesting and so What I would have done in that situation Talk to you Yeah, people are allowed to be upset There are a lot of things happening in this country that everybody has the right to be upset about They're very valid criticism And the problem is they don't have a place to put that anger or a way to direct it And so when they when they show up at your houses when they've been pushed to such extremes that they're willing To go to your member of congress's house. They've got something that they need to say Here's that here's that go there wasn't there wasn't there wasn't a thousand of us There was maybe 10 people that showed up to that first point. Okay, so there was in no way any way shape or form And I guess you could say that maybe culture life is a danger But we said loudly that we come in peace. We played music. We wanted to do things Um, we had no intention of doing anything harmful at any we took we had chalk We drew pictures on the sidewalk There was no there was no threat in any way shape or form And so unless somebody's on my lawn with an ak 47 if they're just out there with signs screaming I'm gonna go talk to them And so that that is how you meet your constituents where you where they are That is how you handle the unrest and the upset that these people are rightly feeling Is you talk to them because our biggest concern is not being heard and not that it's that we just need to be heard Having things happen after we're heard having our concerns needs and Abuses heard things that are happening and going wrong. They're coming to you crying and begging for help and you close the door And that's what's happening all across the country So what's been happening for decades all they care about is getting reelected and you know I've even had people push back on me Even though you're running non-partisan even though you're not going to do this once you get in you're only just going to be concerned about reelection and I want to put things in place so that we don't have to do that and I personally I don't want to be a politician I don't have a career goal to do this so I don't I don't see that as as a thing like yes I would do my job for the best of my ability as long as my constituents continue to vote me in and said that they Wanted me there for them But I also am not gonna even if even if I would never do 10 years, but that's that's too much It gets too long I think that I think that you know a good a good eight years is maybe maybe maybe as long as anybody should do There's some conversations we can have about Well, I feel like it would melt your brain if you were in there longer than a decade I mean, how could it not exactly if you're at that you're so out of touch from the people the time Going on around you. How can you? In good faith legislate for people that died by sign has 240 million dollar hole How do you have any concept of what somebody literally counting pennies to go put gas in their cars going? Yeah, yeah, and that's that's just that I don't think that you you do I I think you know if you live a completely different life than your constituents You're just incapable of representing them adequately. So daniel I think that you've given us enough to get to know you now We know your policy platform and your personality how you would govern as a lawmaker But now is the most important part of the interview your last pitch to my viewers folks if you like daniel He's gonna give us the pitch. So let us know how we can support you and what you need most Is it is a donations? Is it canvassers help us help you? Absolutely. So first and foremost money absolutely donations are the most important thing for any grassroots candidate Whether they're running in the democratic party or not if they are running grassroots if they have sworn off any type of I've sworn off Lobbyist pack money corporate pack money And I'm specifying that because like say if I would have worked at the sunrise movement They have a pack I would take money from that pack, right? So I don't want to say just a blanket I won't take any pack money. I will not take lobbyist pack money. I will not take fossil fuel pack money I will not take corporate pack money I will not take any fossil fuel industry any donor money any insurance company money Only from the people grassroots. I'm asking people from 5 10 15 my standard donation right now is $22 Running in 2022. So, um, Bernie did his $27 right? So I've got the $22. So $22 is is my standard small ask for anybody that can there's also the If you go to my donation page, which I believe Mike will have in the information below Also, if you go to vote for daniel.com, it's at the top right corner of my website the contribute button right yellow There there's also the option where you can put in as little as a dollar, you know So anything that anybody can give me I greatly appreciate and it is absolutely the most important thing that you could do Because those dollars turn into the postcards that I can print those dollars turn into Being able to do a campaign add those dollars turn into being able to expand our email and our canvassing program. So First and foremost absolutely any contributions that any of your viewers would be so kind to support us with We would greatly appreciate you can also go to my website at vote for daniel.com to sign up for our email list We're adding a volunteer sign up thing very soon We are because we are going to be hitting the ground running if not before then but by december for our canvassing program So donations canvassers anybody in the local ventura county or la or santa barbara area We would love to have your support anybody who is outside of the state We are also going to be doing calling and phone banking and text banking so you can support that way as well And I would just Encourage you to go sign up for my email email on my website and then we will send you information updates with the volunteer Well, thank you so much daniel. It's been a pleasure speaking with you We will continue to follow your campaign on this channel. I always try to follow and keep in touch with all the candidates that I bring on Uh, hopefully, uh, you know, we'll we'll be back in touch again. Uh, but we'll we'll certainly uh, be wishing you luck here Awesome. I thank you so much. Oh, and uh, all social medias all social medias daniel for vc Daniel for vc twitter social media all the instagrams everything and that Uh, thank you so much for your time. I i'm so thankful for this opportunity to be here and to speak with you and all of your viewers Viewers i've been a long time viewer three years and following mike at least. Um, he's amazing anybody that's new Definitely subscribe hit the like hit the bell Um, and then go check out my website as well. I appreciate you all Well, thank you. Well, okay now you've got to support daniel folks plug in the humanist support. I mean come on Thank you so much daniel. All right, like you have a good one