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MEET
Theodis Daniel
About Theodis Daniel
I’m Theodis Daniel,
a proud Texan and military veteran. I’ve been through more than my share: my mother was murdered and my son DJ, is fighting a rare form of cancer.
I know what it means to face heartbreak and injustice and still keep going. In our neighborhood, it doesn’t matter where you come from—it matters that you get back up and work hard to make things better.
As a father who has watched his child fight for life, and as a son who lost his mother to violence, I carry those lessons with me.
Our district is diverse and resilient: 31.5 % Black or African American, 16.4 % White, 16 % multi‑racial Hispanic and 13 % other Hispanic, and almost half of households speak a language other than English.
No matter our background, we share a desire for safety, opportunity and hope.
Why I’m Running – For Those Who Struggle
I’m not a career politician. I’m a public servant. My life has been spent working alongside you, representing the people who make TX‑18 home.
I know discipline as a veteran, I know pain as a son whose mother was murdered, I know courage as a father fighting cancer alongside my child, and I know resilience after losing our home to a hurricane. Crime, healthcare, and education aren’t abstractions to me; they’re the battles my family and I face every day.
I’m running because families like ours need a voice in Washington—someone who believes the American Dream still belongs to all of us. We can build a district where no one is left behind, where hard work is rewarded, and where our diversity is celebrated as the fabric of our great country.
This campaign is about grit, faith, love of country, and determination. We’ve stumbled before, but we’ll stand up, work harder, and lift each other higher. Let’s get to work, TX‑18, and let’s do it together.
“I’ve lived what many of you live every day—scraping by, fighting to protect our families, and refusing to let the worst things define us.
I’m running because I’m tired of watching politicians talk while our people suffer.
We pick ourselves up, we honor those we’ve lost, and we build a district where our kids have a future.”
– Theo Daniel
Fight Crime – Tough Love and Targeted Action
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We’re done with crime waves terrorizing our streets.
Homicides may be down 20 % city‑wide, but that doesn’t comfort a mother hearing gunfire outside her door.
Our district is densely populated and has neighborhoods like Fifth Ward and Acres Homes, where violence is still too common.
We need tougher sentencing for violent offenders, stronger partnerships with faith groups and nonprofit mentors, and more resources for youth programs that offer a way out.
Violent‑crime rates of 2.67 per 1,000 people may sound low on paper, but one shooting is one too many.
I’ll fight for federal funding to expand community policing and to shut down drug and human‑trafficking networks.
Criminals should fear the badge and respect the law.
Back the Blue – Respect and Resources
As a veteran and a father who has been invited to police stations more than hospitals,
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I know law enforcement isn’t the problem—it’s part of the solution. ​
The Houston Police Department has just 5,238 officers; officer density is 2.23 per 1,000 residents.
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We can’t keep expecting them to do more with less while Austin and Dallas pay them better .
I’ll fight to raise starting pay, attract recruits from our neighborhoods, and push for training in de‑escalation and the languages our families speak.
We’ll support mental‑health resources for officers who see trauma every day.
Backing the blue means giving them the tools to protect us and holding them accountable when they misuse that trust.
It’s about restoring respect for the badge so that kids trust the officers on their streets.
Cut Waste – Fiscal Responsibility for Families
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Growing up, I learned to stretch every dollar.
The government should too. In Houston, 6 % of vendors receive 80 % of procurement dollars; overtime budgets balloon from $65 million to projections as high as $148.8 million.
This mismanagement diverts resources from the families who need them most.
Our district’s poverty rate is 21.1 % —people living paycheck to paycheck shouldn’t have to subsidize incompetence.
I’ll push for strict audits, transparent contracting, and a stop to endless overtime.
The money we save will fund after‑school programs, trade schools, and mental‑health services.
Every taxpayer deserves to know their hard‑earned dollars are invested in safer streets and better schools, not lining the pockets of a select few.
Fix Schools – Opportunity Through Education and Parental Choice
Education is the ladder out of poverty. In a district where 79.6 % of Houston ISD students are economically disadvantaged and 65.6 % are at risk of dropping out , we need bold reforms.
I support school choice and charter programs that give parents the power to select the best schools for their children.
The New Education System has shown success: math proficiency in some campuses improved from 23 % to 37 % and biology pass rates jumped 14 points. Let’s expand what works and cut what doesn’t.
We’ll invest in bilingual programs to serve the 43.5 % of homes that speak non‑English languages and demand accountability for failing schools.
Teachers deserve fair pay and better training; parents deserve transparency; students deserve a fighting chance.
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DJ Daniel's father, Theodis, announces his campaign for TX-18
DJ Daniel, the 13-year-old with brain cancer who joined President Trump's joint address to Congress, has been honored by law enforcement agencies across the country. Now, his father, Theodis, is launching a congressional campaign.
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