Marcus Carter

Marcus Carter was born in Kankakee, Illinois. Carter served in the U.S. Army from 2002 to 2006. He earned a high school diploma from the International Commerce Institute. His career experience includes working as an entrepreneur and in the intelligence industry.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a combat veteran, entrepreneur, husband, and father living in Kissimmee, Florida with my wife Eka and our two boys, Alex and Jacob. I joined the United States Army shortly after high school and spent much of the next decade serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, experiences that taught me the meaning of service, sacrifice, and leadership.

After leaving the military, I worked in finance before launching my own businesses, including a rideshare startup that exposed me firsthand to the influence corporations and political systems can have over ordinary Americans trying to build something independently.

In 2019, my family relocated to Central Florida so our youngest son Jacob could receive specialized treatment for a rare medical condition. Navigating the healthcare system while raising a family reinforced many of the frustrations millions of Americans feel regarding affordability, institutional failure, and the growing disconnect between government and the people it is supposed to represent.

Like many Americans, I believe President Donald Trump helped show that the political establishment could be challenged, but lasting change requires ordinary citizens to step forward themselves. That belief led me to run for Congress and build a grassroots campaign powered by volunteers rather than political insiders or special interests.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

America’s biggest problem is that the government has become increasingly disconnected from the people it is supposed to represent. Career politicians, special interests, corporate influence, and reckless spending have created a system where Americans feel ignored while the national debt explodes and trust in institutions collapses. I support term limits, greater transparency, aggressive oversight, and a line by line review of the federal budget to eliminate fraud, waste, abuse, and unnecessary bureaucracy. Government should serve the people, not protect itself.America is facing a mental health epidemic that touches nearly every major problem in society, including addiction, homelessness, suicide, family instability, mass violence, and declining quality of life. Yet politicians continue treating these as isolated issues instead of confronting the deeper crisis directly. I support declaring a national mental health emergency and creating a serious national effort to investigate root causes, improve treatment access, strengthen early intervention, support families and veterans, and restore healthier communities. We cannot solve America’s problems without addressing the condition of the American people themselves.The American Dream was never supposed to be rented back to the American people. Homeownership is becoming increasingly out of reach because ordinary families are competing against institutional investors, corporate ownership, inflation, and distorted markets. I support restoring pathways to affordable homeownership by confronting institutional purchasing of single-family homes, reducing inflationary spending policies, encouraging responsible development, and exploring policies that help working Americans compete in the housing market again. A strong middle class depends on Americans being able to build stability, equity, and generational wealth through homeownership.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about helping build a blueprint for a new generation of citizen leaders to step forward and serve. Too many good people no longer believe they can participate meaningfully in government because politics appears dominated by money, consultants, and party structures. Our campaign has attempted to prove that ordinary Americans who are willing to work hard, engage directly with voters, and dedicate themselves to service can still build viable grassroots movements from the ground up. I believe self-government only survives when citizens themselves are willing to step forward, lead, and serve their communities directly.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I tend to look up most to people who demonstrate service, sacrifice, resilience, and the courage to stand apart from the crowd when they believe something is wrong. That includes people I served alongside in the military, hardworking parents raising families under difficult circumstances, entrepreneurs willing to take risks to build something meaningful, and ordinary citizens who step forward to serve their communities without expecting recognition.

Politically, I respect leaders who are willing to challenge entrenched systems rather than simply protect them. President Donald Trump helped show millions of Americans that the political establishment could be challenged and that ordinary citizens did not have to simply accept the status quo. I also respect figures like Ron Paul and Thomas Massie for their willingness to prioritize principles and constitutional convictions over political convenience.

More than following any one individual exactly, however, I want to follow the example of leaders who view public office as service and stewardship rather than personal advancement. I believe the country needs more citizen leaders grounded in real world experience and willing to put the long term interests of the American people ahead of political careers or institutional pressure.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The most important characteristics for an elected official are honesty, accountability, humility, courage, discipline, and a genuine understanding that public office is supposed to be an act of service rather than personal advancement.

I believe elected officials should be willing to tell the truth even when it is politically inconvenient, remain accessible to the people they represent, and approach leadership with the understanding that they are temporary stewards of public trust rather than permanent rulers or celebrities.

An elected official should also possess the humility to listen, the discipline to make difficult decisions responsibly, and the courage to challenge party pressure, donor influence, and institutional interests when necessary. Too many politicians become consumed by reelection, media attention, and political survival rather than focusing on the long term health of the country.

Most importantly, I believe leaders should actually understand sacrifice and service through real world experience, not simply through political ambition. A government made up entirely of career politicians inevitably becomes disconnected from ordinary citizens and the real consequences of policy decisions.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibilities of a member of Congress are to represent the people of their district honestly, uphold and defend the Constitution, exercise responsible oversight of the federal government, and legislate in ways that protect the long term stability, liberty, and prosperity of the country.

That includes ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly, confronting corruption and government overreach, protecting constitutional rights, securing the border, maintaining national security, and addressing the major challenges facing the nation without losing sight of the people directly affected by those decisions.

I also believe a representative has a responsibility to remain accessible and connected to their district rather than becoming absorbed into the political culture of Washington. Too many elected officials spend more time fundraising and managing political relationships than engaging with the people they were sent to represent.

More broadly, I believe members of Congress should approach the office as a temporary duty of service and stewardship, not as a career path. Their responsibility is not simply to win elections, but to leave the country stronger, more stable, and more accountable to the American people than they found it.

What legacy would you like to leave?

The legacy I would like to leave is helping inspire and empower a new generation of ordinary Americans to step forward and reclaim a more active role in self government. More than holding office itself, I want to help prove that politics does not have to belong exclusively to wealthy donors, political insiders, consultants, and career politicians.

I hope our campaign helps build a blueprint showing that citizens who are willing to work hard, engage directly with voters, and dedicate themselves to service can still build meaningful grassroots movements from the ground up. If people walk away believing they no longer have to sit on the sidelines while the country declines, then I will feel I accomplished something worthwhile.

I also hope to leave behind a reputation for honesty, service, accountability, and authenticity. Whether people ultimately agree with every position I hold or not, I want them to know that I approached public service sincerely, remained connected to ordinary people, and refused to treat politics as a pathway to personal power or enrichment.

More broadly, I want my children and future generations to inherit a country where citizens still believe freedom comes with responsibilities, where government remains accountable to the people, and where Americans still believe they have both the ability and obligation to shape the future of their communities and nation.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was delivering newspapers as a paperboy when I was young. It taught me responsibility early because people expected you to show up consistently regardless of the weather or whether you felt like doing it that day. After that, I started mowing lawns around the neighborhood, which was really my first experience earning money through initiative and hard work directly tied to my own effort.

As I got older, I moved into more traditional high school jobs before eventually joining the Army shortly after graduation. Looking back, those early jobs helped shape my work ethic and taught me the value of consistency, responsibility, and self reliance long before military service.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Beyond my service and experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, the greatest struggle in my life has unquestionably been what my family has gone through with our youngest son Jacob. Jacob was born with a rare condition known as Megacystic Microcolon Intestinal Hypoperistalsis Syndrome, and much of his life has involved intensive medical care, hospital stays, home nursing, and dependence on life support.

Watching your child fight through challenges most people cannot even imagine changes your perspective on almost everything. It forces you to confront fear, uncertainty, exhaustion, and responsibility in a very real way while still trying to remain strong for your family and continue moving forward.

At the same time, Jacob has also been one of the greatest sources of strength, perspective, and motivation in my life. What our family has experienced navigating the healthcare system and caring for a medically fragile child has deeply shaped how I view service, resilience, leadership, and the importance of fighting for people who feel overwhelmed by systems far larger than themselves.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The U.S. House of Representatives is unique because it was designed to be the legislative body closest and most directly accountable to the American people. Unlike the Senate, whose members originally were selected by state legislatures, the House was intentionally structured to reflect the immediate concerns, frustrations, and priorities of citizens through smaller districts and more frequent elections.

That structure creates both its strengths and its challenges. The House is often more energetic, more reactive to public sentiment, and more politically volatile because representatives must remain closely connected to the people they serve. Ideally, it functions as the part of the federal government most responsive to shifts in public opinion and local concerns.

The House also holds significant constitutional responsibilities involving taxation, spending, oversight, and the power of the purse. Because all federal spending originates in the House, it plays a central role in shaping the size, direction, and priorities of the federal government itself.

More broadly, I believe the House was intended to embody the idea of citizen representation. It was not meant to become a permanent ruling class detached from ordinary Americans, but rather a rotating body of representatives grounded in the realities of the communities they came from. I believe restoring that spirit of direct accountability and citizen service is essential to rebuilding trust in the institution moving forward.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

I believe two of the greatest challenges facing the United States over the next decade are the ongoing mental health crisis and the long term stability of Social Security.

The mental health crisis is already impacting nearly every aspect of American society, including addiction, suicide, homelessness, family instability, declining social cohesion, mass violence, and overall quality of life. Yet we still tend to address these issues individually rather than recognizing they are often symptoms of a much deeper societal problem. If we fail to seriously confront the causes driving the decline in mental and emotional well being across the country, many of our other national problems will continue worsening regardless of economic or political policy changes.

I also believe Social Security represents one of the most significant long term financial and political challenges facing the nation. Millions of Americans paid into the system their entire working lives and depend on those benefits for retirement security, yet Washington has spent decades avoiding serious reform while the program moves closer toward instability. I believe protecting Social Security will require honest leadership, fiscal discipline, and structural reforms that preserve the program for future generations without continuing the reckless spending habits that contributed to the broader debt crisis in the first place.

More broadly, both challenges reflect a deeper issue facing the country: whether we are willing to confront difficult long term problems honestly before they become unmanageable crises.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes, compromise is a necessary part of governing in a constitutional republic, but compromise should never mean abandoning core principles, constitutional protections, or fundamental truths simply to achieve political convenience.

A healthy government requires debate, negotiation, and the ability to find workable solutions among people who may have very different perspectives. If elected officials refuse to compromise on anything at all, the result is often paralysis and dysfunction. At the same time, many Americans have grown frustrated because too often compromise in Washington appears to mean endless expansion of government, reckless spending, or backroom political deals disconnected from the public interest.

I believe the key distinction is between compromising on methods versus compromising on principles. There are many policy areas where reasonable people can negotiate details and implementation. But there are also foundational issues involving constitutional rights, government accountability, public transparency, and national sovereignty where elected officials must be willing to stand firmly on principle even under political pressure.

Ultimately, good policymaking requires both conviction and maturity: the conviction to defend core values and the maturity to work constructively with others where genuine common ground exists.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

American Patriot Executive Committee

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

The first major historical event I clearly remember from my lifetime was Gulf War and Operation Desert Storm. I was very young, but I remember the constant news coverage, the atmosphere surrounding the conflict, and the sense that the country was focused on something much larger than everyday life. Looking back, it is interesting that one of my earliest historical memories involved war, considering I would later spend much of my own adult life serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm running because I believe in service, honesty, and the responsibility we all share in improving our community. My military background taught me the importance of duty, and it's time we have representation that truly reflects the values and needs of our district. Our nation faces a perilous future, and I understand that our trajectory won't look any better until we, the people, reclaim the roles of leadership in this nation from politicians motivated by money and power. A self-governed society demands leadership from within, not influence from the elite. My hope is to energize Americans to declare their independence and rise to the occasion just as we have countless times throughout our history.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The concept of democracy is lost, paved over by oligarchic motivations. This won't change, and things in our country won't improve, until we stand up and take charge ourselves. The days of party loyalty must end. The notion that traditional politics will solve our problems must die. And the collective disenfranchisement we, the people, have accumulated, must transform into the passion and energy it will require for us to reclaim the roles of leadership from compromised politicians. The time to stand and declare our independence is now!There is a mental health epidemic ravaging our nation. Addressing the causes of and finding real treatments for the wide variety of mental health conditions that are affecting our nation is as foundational to our future as it is urgent to us all. It's time to look past so-called solutions that have only worsened the problem by creating a pill-dependent population to the profit of Big Pharma with zero actual results or improvement. It's time to start thinking outside the box, reflecting on what's causing so many mentally ill Americans as well as how we can treat and prevent future illness.I wouldn't be running if I didn't believe in us as a nation and our ability to overcome any challenge the world may present. We are a unique nation, and each of us should reflect on how blessed we are to live in the greatest place on Earth. But decades of complacency and disinterest in our own democracy is the cause of our problems, not corrupt politicians. It is the absence of citizens truly dedicated to authentic representation that has invited corruption to fill the void. It's on us to get it back, and just as we always have, I believe we've got what it takes. I wouldn't be running if I didn't believe in what we're capable of as a nation.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Firstly, addressing the mental health epidemic is a priority for ensuring the well-being of our nation. Nothing gets better until we are collectively better mentally. But also, government ethics and anti-corruption measures are crucial for restoring faith in our institutions. It's time to start holding the corrupt accountable and usher in new leaders dedicated to honesty and transparency. With regards to education, we need to adapt our educational system to meet 21st-century demands. Further, we must put an end to forever wars and the military industrial complex's stranglehold on influence. Still, bringing sustainability to Social Security, ending the immigration madness, and a host of other issues remain pressing, as well.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty is the single most important characteristic for any elected official. We cannot have a government we can trust if our elected officials are not honest, it is quite simple. And unfortunately, far too few of us have any trust in our leaders, because we don't believe their honest. With honesty comes integrity, because no honest person wants to spend their time explaining their mistakes. As for mistakes, they will come along with any leader who lacks experience; however, it's those with experience who lack honesty, rendering experience as the characteristic that is least important.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

When I was six years old, I split a paper route with my older brother and sister. My brother did 14 houses, and my sister delivered to another 7 houses each. I stayed in the paper route game until I was 11 when I got a job mowing lawns at a cemetery and that's when the big bucks started rolling in!

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

One of the biggest struggles in my life revolves around my son Jacob, who has been diagnosed with a rare and challenging condition called Metacystic Microcolon Intestinal Hyperperistalsis Syndrome. From the moment Jacob was born, our lives have been deeply impacted by his condition. It's a daily battle witnessing him cope with the symptoms and limitations this syndrome presents.

The constant uncertainty and fear that accompany Jacob's condition have been an immense weight on my shoulders. Every day is filled with worry about his health, his future, and the countless medical decisions we must make on his behalf. The financial strain of medical bills and specialized care adds another layer of stress to our lives.

But amidst the struggle, there is also profound strength and resilience. Jacob's unwavering spirit and the support of our family and medical team inspire us to keep fighting. We've learned to cherish every small victory, whether it's a day without pain or a milestone reached against all odds.

While Jacob's condition presents countless challenges, it has also taught us invaluable lessons about love, perseverance, and the fragility of life. Our journey with Jacob has reshaped our priorities and deepened our empathy for others facing similar battles. Though the road ahead may be uncertain, we face it with unwavering determination and the enduring hope for a better tomorrow for Jacob and all those affected by rare diseases.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe it is actually a detriment if a representative has previous experience. It is the result of those with experience that has brought our nation to where it is today. It won't take that same experience to fix it, it will take something new. But much like our founding fathers did in order to create our nation, I believe we still have what it takes to roll up our sleeves and gain new experience.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

There are several pressing challenges facing us over the next decade. The most immediate is the threat of a global war, something our elected officials should be in unison working to avoid. Financially, the United States in real trouble, and the longer we wait to find solutions to our budget woes, the more cataclysmic this problem will become. And while our education system needs overhauled, our economy needs strengthened and our immigration crisis needs resolved, I don't believe any of it will begin improving until we address the mental health problems plaquing our nation.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I believe it is more important to address where the money is coming from in politics and rectify the corruption behind it prior to concerning ourselves with term limits. If term limits are imposed without addressing dark money and how corporations and the elite control our elected officials, then nothing will change.