The Power of Grassroots: Daniel Byron's Campaign for Pennsylvania's Ninth District Follow Daniel Byron and his campaign at ByronForCongress.com Host Amy McDonald of The Foolish Optimist Podcast converses with Daniel Byron, a single father, full-time student, and retail manager running for Pennsylvania's Ninth District US Congress seat in 2026. Byron, disillusioned by the Democratic Party's lack of strong candidates and inspired to take action following Trump's second-term win, aspires to represent ordinary people. He highlights his efforts to connect with voters on key issues like affordability, healthcare, and digital reform. Byron shares his views on impactful grassroots campaigning, the importance of engaging working-class voters, and promoting transparency and equity in both healthcare and digital privacy policies. 00:00 Welcome to the Foolish Optimist Podcast 00:29 Meet Daniel Byron: A Candidate's Journey 01:44 Challenges in the Ninth District 03:00 The Importance of Local Elections 05:10 The Role of the Democratic National Party 06:29 Affordability and the Middle Class 13:04 Engaging with Republican Voters 19:46 Digital Reform: A New Frontier 33:57 Consumer Protections and Inflation 35:25 The Role of Regulations and Tech Giants 36:39 Rural District Dynamics 38:20 Voter Suppression Concerns 40:21 Supreme Court and Political Strategies 41:51 Economic Inequality and Political Manipulation 47:17 Campaign Finance and Term Limits 52:03 Healthcare Affordability and Reforms 54:22 Student Debt Crisis Solutions 59:32 Final Thoughts and Personal Insights