I wanted to have Mark on because he is one of those people who makes you sit up a little straighter and pay attention. He is blunt, thoughtful, and completely unafraid to say the quiet part out loud — which, honestly, feels rare right now. What struck me most was how grounded he is for someone running such a bold race, and how clearly he connects the personal, the political, and the practical. I also think there is something genuinely disarming about him: he doesn’t sound like he is trying to perform “politician,” and that made me trust him faster than I usually do.

A lot of political guests can feel polished to the point of distance, but Mark felt direct in a way that was almost startling. He was willing to be specific, which I always appreciate, and he kept bringing the conversation back to actual people and actual consequences instead of talking in slogans. I found myself thinking about our interview long after we wrapped, which is usually the sign that somebody said something real. Conversations like this matter because they remind us that democracy is still being shaped by people willing to show up and say something real. I also related to what he said about not wanting to lose his relationship with his parents, because my own father is not speaking to me right now, and that kind of ache makes those moments feel even more human.

The part that really stayed with me was Mark talking about mental health in the military. There is still this devastating, deeply embedded stigma around asking for help, and that has to change. My father served, and growing up with a veteran shaped how I see these issues; it means that when Mark talks about the fear of asking for help, it is not abstract to me. The fact that a pilot can worry about losing a career for admitting they need support is not just backwards, it is dangerous. We talk so much about honoring service, but then we create a culture that punishes the very people who try to take care of themselves.

And then there was the moment when he compared Trump’s tactics to historical fascism. I want to be careful with language like that, because it matters, but I also appreciated that Mark did not soften it into something more palatable. He was clear about what he sees and clear about why he believes we should say it plainly. I find that refreshing, honestly. We get so used to politicians sanding down everything until it is safe and unrecognizable, and I am tired of that.

The Canada and tourism conversation also hit me harder than I expected. Florida’s economy is tied to so much more than people realize, and tariffs ripple out in ways that regular people feel first. When Canadian visitors pull back, when tourism slows, when local businesses take the hit, it is not abstract policy anymore — it is jobs, livelihoods, and entire communities. That is the kind of thing I wish more people talking about tariffs would actually sit with.

Mark Davis is running for Florida’s 16th District as a No Party Affiliate. He’s an Air Force veteran, a former corporate operations executive at Menards, and a small business owner in Parrish, Florida. He lives there with his wife Sarah and their two children, and in less than a year, he has built more than 200,000 organic followers. His campaign has grown entirely without corporate money, and he refuses corporate PAC money. He has also pledged to forgo his congressional salary and healthcare if elected.

If you want to learn more, volunteer, or donate, go to markdavisforcongress.com. Even small recurring donations can make a real difference.

Mark Davis is a veteran, former corporate executive, and congressional candidate running for Florida's 16th District — and he is not here to play nice. In this episode, he explains exactly why he believes American democracy is under threat, why he is running as a No Party Affiliate in one of Florida's reddest districts, and how a grassroots movement of over 200,000 people is proving that passion beats politics.

Mark Davis spent eight years in the United States Air Force and another sixteen years managing a $1.3 billion product category for one of the nation's largest retailers. He knows how power works — in boardrooms and in Washington — and he is done staying quiet about it.

In this episode of What Do We Do Next?, host Molly sits down with Mark Davis, congressional candidate for Florida's 16th District (Hillsborough and Manatee Counties), to talk about what drove a self-described "pissed off father in the middle of red Florida" to run for Congress as a No Party Affiliate. Mark breaks down his three core policy priorities — accountability in government, single-payer healthcare, and real price relief for working families — and explains why he believes the 2026 midterms are winnable even in a deeply red district.

Mark also opens up about the mental health crisis facing veterans, the waste he witnessed firsthand in military spending, the economic damage of tariffs on Florida families, and why he has pledged to forgo his congressional salary and healthcare if elected. This is an unfiltered, honest conversation about what it actually takes to challenge the political machine from the inside.

Learn more and donate at markdavisforcongress.com.

Mark Davis — Congressional Candidate, Florida District 16

Website: markdavisforcongress.com

Social Media: All links available at markdavisforcongress.com

markdavisforcongress.com — Campaign website, donation page, and volunteer sign-up

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What Do We Do Next? is hosted by Molly, a podcast host and media personality based in Costa Rica. The show covers politics, culture, and the people working to make a difference in a complicated world. New episodes drop weekly — subscribe so you never miss one.

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Mark Davis, Mark Davis for Congress, Florida Congressional Race 2026, grassroots political campaign, veteran running for Congress, No Party Affiliate candidate, FL-16 congressional race, single payer healthcare, midterm elections 2026, political podcast interview

Mark Davis, Mark Davis for Congress, Florida District 16, FL-16, Hillsborough County Florida, Manatee County Florida, congressional candidate 2026, No Party Affiliate, NPA candidate, veteran politician, Air Force veteran, grassroots campaign, grassroots movement, political movement, 200000 followers, single payer healthcare, veteran mental health, military mental health, defense budget reform, tariffs and inflation, tariff economic impact, Florida politics, red district campaign, midterm elections 2026, 2026 midterms, What Do We Do Next podcast, Molly podcast, political interview podcast, podcast interview, independent candidate, anti establishment politics, working class politics, accountability in government, impeachment, Florida tourism economy, Canada US relations, corporate PAC money, small dollar donations, progressive candidate Florida

Post 1

He is a veteran, a former corporate executive, and a congressional candidate in one of Florida's reddest districts. And he is absolutely done staying quiet.

New episode with Mark Davis is live now.

#MarkDavis #Congress2026 #WhatDoWeDoNext #Florida16 #GrassrootsPolitics

Post 2

Mark Davis managed a $1.3 billion product category for one of the nation's largest retailers. He knows exactly why tariffs cannot lower prices — and he is not afraid to say it out loud.

Full conversation at the episode link below.

#Tariffs #WorkingFamilies #Florida16 #PoliticalPodcast

Post 3

200,000 followers in under a year. No corporate PAC money. No party affiliation. Just a pissed off dad from Parrish, Florida who decided enough was enough.

Listen to the full episode with Mark Davis.

#MarkDavisForCongress #GrassrootsMovement #Midterms2026

Post 4

The military punishes service members who seek mental health treatment. Mark Davis wants to make mental health evaluations mandatory when troops come home — not optional.

This conversation matters. Episode link below.

#VeteransMentalHealth #MilitaryMentalHealth #MarkDavis #WhatDoWeDoNext

Post 5

Mark Davis is running for Congress and he is refusing his salary and his government healthcare if he wins. He wants to live under the same policies as his constituents.

That is the kind of candidate people are paying attention to.

#Congress2026 #FL16 #AccountabilityInPolitics #MarkDavisForCongress

Post 6

Canada is done with us. Canadians are selling their Florida properties. Tourism is down. And it is all a direct result of trade policy that nobody in Washington seems to understand.

Mark Davis does. New episode out now.

#FloridaEconomy #CanadaUS #Tariffs #WhatDoWeDoNext

Post 7

"I am not a politician. I am just a pissed off father in the middle of red Florida."

Mark Davis, congressional candidate for Florida's 16th District, joined the show this week. This one is worth your time.

#MarkDavis #Florida16 #GrassrootsPolitics #PoliticalPodcast

Post 8

Inflation was 3 percent when Trump took office. It is now around 5 percent. The administration did not lower prices. It accelerated them.

Mark Davis breaks it all down in this week's episode.

#Inflation #Tariffs #WorkingClass #Midterms2026 #WhatDoWeDoNext

Post 9

What does it take to win a congressional seat in a deep red district with no party backing and no corporate money?

Mark Davis has a very specific answer. And it is working.

Listen here: https://whatdowedonext.us/

#FL16 #Congress2026 #NoPartyAffiliate #GrassrootsMovement

Post 10

We hit 38,000 downloads this week. Thank you for listening, sharing, and showing up.

If you have not heard the Mark Davis episode yet, this is your sign.

#WhatDoWeDoNext #Podcast #MarkDavis #ThankYou #38k

LinkedIn Post 1

Mark Davis spent eight years in the United States Air Force and sixteen years in corporate America managing a $1.3 billion product category for one of the nation's largest retailers. He has sat across from owners in boardrooms. He has seen how decisions get made behind closed doors. And he has decided that what happens in those rooms is not acceptable in a democracy.

In this week's episode of What Do We Do Next?, Mark joins host Molly to talk about why he is running for Congress in Florida's 16th District as a No Party Affiliate — with no corporate PAC money, no party machine behind him, and a grassroots following of over 200,000 people built in under a year.

We cover his three core policy priorities: accountability in government, single-payer healthcare, and real price relief for working families. We also get into the mental health crisis facing veterans, the economic damage of tariffs on Florida's tourism economy, and why he has pledged to forgo his congressional salary and healthcare if elected.

This is the kind of conversation that does not happen enough in political media. It is honest, specific, and worth your time.

Full episode: https://whatdowedonext.us/

#Leadership #Politics #Congress2026 #VeteranLeadership #GrassrootsCampaign #FL16 #PoliticalPodcast #MarkDavis

LinkedIn Post 2

Here is something worth thinking about from a retail executive's perspective.

Tariffs are not a pricing tool. They are a cost insertion mechanism. When you add tariffs to imported goods, you are not pressuring suppliers to lower prices — you are adding a cost layer that moves through the supply chain and lands on the consumer. Every retail operator knows this.

Mark Davis managed a $1.3 billion product category. He knows exactly how pricing works at scale. And in this week's episode of What Do We Do Next?, he explains clearly why the current administration's tariff strategy was never going to lower prices — and why inflation has actually accelerated since it was implemented.

If you work in retail, supply chain, operations, or economics, this conversation will resonate.

Episode link: https://whatdowedonext.us/

#SupplyChain #RetailLeadership #Tariffs #Economics #Congress2026 #WhatDoWeDoNext #MarkDavis

LinkedIn Post 3

One of the most underreported issues in veteran policy is this: the military system actively discourages mental health treatment for the people who need it most.

Pilots and high-stress personnel risk losing their positions if they seek mental health support. The result is a culture of silence that contributes directly to veteran suicide rates. Mark Davis — Air Force veteran and congressional candidate for Florida's 16th District — is calling for mandatory mental health evaluations upon return from deployment. Not voluntary. Mandatory. Remove the stigma by removing the choice.

He also shared something personal: he has struggled with mental health himself and benefited from treatment. That kind of transparency from a political candidate is rare. It is also exactly what this conversation needs.

Full episode on What Do We Do Next?: https://whatdowedonext.us/

#VeteransMentalHealth #MilitaryLeadership #MentalHealthAwareness #Congress2026 #FL16 #WhatDoWeDoNext #MarkDavis

Teaser Video Post

A veteran. A former corporate executive. A congressional candidate in one of Florida's reddest districts. And zero interest in playing the political game.

Mark Davis on what it actually takes to challenge the machine — and why 200,000 people are paying attention.

Full episode at the link below.