Meet 11th Congressional District democratic candidate Dan Williams

BIOGRAPHY INFO

Age: 48

City/town of residence: Orlando - Yes it is in the district

Family: I have a partner named Rei and a corgi/aussie mix named Jolene

Education: My degree is in Interdisciplinary Engineering with a focus in Telecommunications from Purdue University

Qualifications: I have been an educator for over 20 years now. I spent my life making complex topics easy to understand.

What makes you the best candidate for Florida’s 11th Congressional District? 

I am the best candidate for District 11 because I am running to fundamentally change how Congress works. The current system assumes that one person can adequately represent 800,000 people without ever asking for their opinion. That is an outdated and broken model. Our district is incredibly diverse, and the rigid, all-or-nothing politics in Washington leaves too many people feeling unrepresented and cynical about the system.

My campaign is built on a simple premise: bringing the power back directly to the voters. Through my Direct Democracy platform, I am building a system where constituents can vote directly on federal legislation using secure mobile technology. I am pledging to cast my official vote according to the majority will of our district. This isn't about left or right; it is about radical transparency and ensuring that every single person in District 11 has a voice, even if we disagree. I am an engineer who wants to use technology to decentralize power and finally give you the true representation you deserve.

What are the key differences between you and your opponents? 

My key difference is my main platform of Digital Democracy.  The main idea is very simple, You Vote, I Listen.  For every major bill or law we try to pass up in DC, I will make an educational video that helps explain that law.  Explaining exactly what a yes or no vote means using only facts instead of any kind of political party messaging.  My goal is for people to understand the laws we are trying to pass.  At the end of that video I will give my opinion about what I think it best for our community, but this will be clearly labeled as an opinion and not fact.  After that we will open it up to a district wide vote using the Digital Democracy Project, to allow each resident one secure vote on that bill.  Whatever the majority opinion is on that vote becomes my direct vote up in DC.  I am running to put the power back directly in the hands of the people.  

Evaluate outgoing U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster’s performance over his tenure in Congress. What did he do well? What would you do differently? 

I would fully adopt Representative Webster's commitment to protecting seniors. Eliminating the double tax on Social Security is a priority I will continue to champion. Furthermore, his work securing funds for Everglades restoration and local infrastructure is vital for Florida, and I would aggressively pursue similar locally driven investments.

While I respect his votes for a Balanced Budget Amendment to ensure fiscal responsibility, I would alter our long-term approach by demanding stronger structural accountability. I will pair fiscal restraints with a firm commitment to term limits, ensuring career politicians cannot continually delay difficult financial decisions. Additionally, I would prioritize technological transparency, utilizing direct constituent polling platforms to ensure every vote I cast on infrastructure and budget bills genuinely reflects the real-time will of District 11 instead of partisan expectations. 

Give the current U.S. House a letter grade — A-F — and share how your presence would change that grade.

D- This house has been so divided that nothing is getting done. I plan on working with everyone to find solutions that everyone can accept.  I think we are too stuck in our party alliances and that needs to change.  We need to be able to have real debates on issues instead of just blindly backing what your party chooses.

Discuss three tangible ways constituents will experience your presence as their representative in the U.S. House. 

 First with my Direct Democracy platform, I will be held accountable to my district on every vote.  Your voice will be heard and counted.  Through my educational videos you will also hear from me on every major issue.

Secondly, my in district offices will be open to all.  I plan on offering digital literacy classes for anyone who is interested.  I believe education and technology working together is vital to the future of America.  I will also be hosting virtual and physical town halls to make sure people can come and meet with me directly multiple times a year.

Lastly, all of my call logs will be published.  Currently Congress is not bound by the Freedom Of Information Act and this needs to change.   Representatives need to publish how many people call in about an issue.  When they say that they have a mandate to do something, they should be able to show the numbers that prove that.

District 11 is a diverse district with many needs. What are the district’s three most pressing issues? 

Affordability is always the top issue, but in my mind this is a ton of issues all rolled up in one.  I plan on breaking them down into smaller, easier to solve,  issues and then creating targeted short bills that are easy to read and understand.

Corruption is another huge issue that I hear about every day.   Our government is broken, and the remedy is radical transparency through Direct Democracy. Instead of pretending that one person can perfectly represent 800,000 distinct voices without continuous input, I am shifting the power back to you.

This system ensures continuous accountability and builds an unbreakable wall against special interests. Currently, a lobbyist only needs to influence a single politician to pass a law. Under my platform, they would have to convince 800,000 everyday citizens. I am running to be your direct voice in DC.

The last issue that I hear about is not a Federal Issue, but a local one instead.  The upcoming Property Tax Homestead amendment is brought up in almost every event that I do.  I do believe that all levels of government need to work together to solve bigger problems.   I am partnering up with the Braver Angels and a few local candidates to create a website that will explain this amendment in simple terms and make sure people know how this will be effecting them.  I will continue to use my tech skills to assist any and all other elected officials that need it. 

Discuss the impending Social Security shortfall and your solutions. 

Social Security is a solemn promise made to working Americans, and I will fiercely defend it. I will absolutely oppose any efforts to cut benefits, privatize the program, or raise the retirement age. The solution to long-term solvency is straightforward: we must make the wealthy pay their fair share. I support raising the cap on earnings subject to the Social Security payroll tax. Currently, millionaires stop paying into the system early in the year, while working-class Floridians pay on every dollar they earn. By fixing this inequity, we can ensure the Trust Fund is fully funded for generations to come, protecting the benefits our seniors have earned.

Discuss the current state of health care in the United States and your solutions. 

Healthcare should be a fundamental right, not a privilege tied to your employment or wealth. In Congress, I will fight for Medicare for All to ensure universal access to quality, affordable care. Right now, families in Central Florida are struggling with rising costs across the board, and no one should face financial ruin because of a medical emergency. I also strongly support collective bargaining to aggressively negotiate and lower prescription drug prices. But more importantly, through my 'Ask America' platform, my constituents will have a direct say on these healthcare bills. I'm building a system to translate what our district actually needs, like lowering costs and expanding access, into real policy, prioritizing people over pharmaceutical profits.

Do you support term limits for Congress? Why or why not? 

Yes and I have already signed the Term Limit Pledge.  We need to make sure our representatives are not elected to Congress for life.  We also need to have a standard medical and cognitive exam that each member should take on a yearly bases.

Discuss how you plan to work with your fellow representatives, the U.S. Senate and President Trump. 

I am really excited to work with all members of Congress.   I know that America is divided right now, but I believe we can start fixing this through education. I have already shown that my campaign is not just for me, but it is designed to help all other candidates as well.  I created the website JoinTheBlueWave.org, which allows people to type in their address and then see all candidates running in their races.  I will bring tech solutions to Congress, which they are strongly in need of.  Out of the 435 members of the house only 5 members have any kind of tech background.  Those representatives are overwhelmed with trying to regulate AI, Crypto, and Digital Privacy,  We need more tech people up in Congress more now than ever before.