DJ Daniel, the young cancer survivor honored by President Trump during his address before a joint-session of Congress, has been keeping a secret.

I’m honestly amazed he kept from spilling the beans at the proper time.

I have great kids — don’t get me wrong — but mine couldn’t keep a secret like this to save their own life!

Yesterday on his Facebook account DJ teased he would soon share that secret with the world with this post showing himself standing with his Dad, Theodis:

You’ll recall that President Trump honored DJ Daniel alongside his Dad during his March 4th address to Congress because of DJ’s aspiration to one day become a Police Officer.

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President Trump highlighted the fact that more than 6 years ago, Doctors gave DJ only 5 months to live.

Here’s that moment in case you missed it, when President Trump proclaimed he would make DJ an honorary agent of the U.S. Secret Service:

Today, DJ had a surprise announcement of his own to unveil.

The young Texan declared his father’s candidacy for Congress, running for a House seat in Texas’ upcoming special election.

Theodis Daniel’s official campaign website was shared by DJ just a few hours ago via Facebook:

Theodis Daniel hasn’t lived a cushy life, and he hasn’t been groomed for political office — except by life itself.

Here’s the intro describing himself as it appears on his official campaign landing page:

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.

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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.

And if you’re wondering the same question I’ve been asking myself, I believe the answer is “YES” — my understanding is that Theodis is going to be running as a Republican.

Though I haven’t been able to find any recent reporting on that specific detail, nor have I seen anything in DJ or Theodis’ posts regarding his candidacy that confirms that detail…

What I have seen over the last few months including podcasts and interviews — and taking into account his own stated principles and worldview — all puts him squarely on the conservative side of things.

But I was able to find this story from back in March, just after the duo sat behind Kash Patel and Melania during the joint session of Congress, that notes even then…

Theodis was considering running for Congress as a Republican.

This story also includes another fact I was unaware of — he apparently ran for Mayor of Houston once before.

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Here’s that article from March which also mentions the event that first initiated his son’s now legendary respect for Police Officers, as reported by Bluebonnet News out of Houston:

Adding to his family’s hardships, in 2017, they lost their home and all their possessions during Hurricane Harvey. Forced to seek refuge, they spent weeks living at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. It was there, amid the chaos and uncertainty, that DJ found his admiration for law enforcement. Officers stationed at the shelter treated him with kindness and encouragement, making a lasting impact on him. That experience ignited his dream of becoming an honorary officer—a dream that has led him to be sworn into more than 900 agencies across the country, including the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and the police departments of Liberty and Dayton, Texas.

His father, Theodis Daniel, told Bluebonnet News Wednesday, March 5, that their trip to Washington, D.C., came as a complete surprise. In late February, Theodis received a call from the White House inviting DJ and the family to attend the State of the Union as guests of First Lady Melania Trump. There was no expectation of special recognition—they were simply honored to be there, excited for the experience of witnessing President Donald Trump deliver his address to the nation.

For Theodis, who previously ran for Houston mayor, the experience has only strengthened his resolve to run for office again—this time, possibly as a Republican candidate for Congress.

“I’m level-headed and very fair. I don’t care about the money. I care about the results. We have to meet in the middle and do what’s in the best interest of the country,” he said. (Emphasis added.)

As you might remember, another US Representative (unfortunately, also from my beloved Texas) decided to prove his lack of character during President Trump’s joint address to Congress while DJ and his Dad were in attendance.

Just for a snapshot of how Theodis Daniel thinks and conducts himself in the face of adversity and opposition… check out this short clip of his response to Rep. Al Green’s disruptive behavior during that event:

Theodis Daniel is quick to distance himself from being “a politician”.

Speaking today after announcing the launch of his Congressional campaign, he emphasized that he is running to further what he and his son have been doing for more than six years — which he summed up as giving people hope.

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Here’s an excerpt of one interview he gave today describing what sets him apart from most politicians, as reported by Fox News:

When Devarjay “DJ” Daniel was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer, his father, Theodis Daniel, said he found the courage to fight for his son.

Now, speaking first to Fox News Digital, Daniel said he’s ready to fight for Texas’ 18th congressional district.

Daniel joins a crowded field of candidates from across the political spectrum, but the father and veteran said his campaign is unlike the others.

“I’m a regular guy. I am not a politician,” Daniel said. “I don’t have six-figure deals. I’m just a regular dude trying to make it. Single dad. I got three kids to myself. I’m a disabled veteran just trying to make a difference regardless of what I’m going through.”

And ultimately, Daniel explained, he is going to “get up every day and get out there and make it happen” for the people of Texas’ 18th congressional district.

“I don’t call myself a politician,” Daniel said. “I’m a public servant first, because my duty is to the people.”

The Republican candidate said he is running “for those who struggle,” explaining that his campaign priorities – supporting law enforcement, safety, healthcare and education – aren’t just abstract ideas but “battles my family and I face every day.”

The veteran said he has learned resilience in the face of adversity.

“I want to run because I feel like everything that my son and I have been doing for the last six years or so, we have brought joy to people’s lives and gave them hope, which I didn’t think it was going to turn into nothing like this, but it feels good,” Daniel said.

Fox News also shared this video, which DJ initially shared to Facebook as part of the big announcement about his Dad’s campaign:

Every time I’ve heard an interview or a clip of Theodis talking about his mindset on life and tackling the problems it throws at you, I come away shaking my head.

No wonder his little boy grew up with a strong sense of duty, a strong sense of who he was, and a good ethic towards working hard to become whatever he had in mind to become — in spite of serious adversity.

That’s a good Dad, right there — all else aside.

Watch how young DJ conducted himself while in the Oval Office with the President of the United States:

DJ was respectful, but CONFIDENT in himself at the same time.

Any Dad knows those aren’t easy traits to “teach” — they must be MODELED.

That’s a direct reflection on Theodis himself.  (Good job, Dad!)

Check out this excerpt from Theodis’ campaign website describing his past and all the adversity him and his son have endured… which helped to make BOTH of them who they are today:

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.”

Another section of his campaign site emphases his focus on crime… something near and dear to President Trump’s heart at the moment as well:

Fight Crime – Tough Love and Targeted Action

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.

It remains to be seen how fierce the competition will be once that election truly kicks off.

I live a few hundred miles from that Congressional district, but as a Texan I am already reveling in the possibility that Theodis Daniel could soon hold the House Seat once held by Sheila Lee Jackson.

Not to speak ill of the dead — but that would definitely be a marked improvement… for Texas, and for the United States Congress!

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.
 

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