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Stephen O'Toole
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Stephen O'Toole (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 25th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on March 3, 2026.[source]
O'Toole completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Stephen O'Toole was born in Bedford, Texas. He served in the U.S. Navy from 2004 to 2006. He earned a high school diploma from South Hills High School. His career experience includes working as a senior account manager.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Texas' 25th Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on March 3, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 25
William Marks and Stephen O'Toole are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 25 on March 3, 2026.
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| Stephen O'Toole | ||
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Endorsements
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Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Stephen O'Toole completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by O'Toole's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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That’s what pushed me to run. I’m not here to build a career or climb a ladder. I’m not backed by PACs or political machines. I’m someone who’s lived the reality of paycheck-to-paycheck life. I’ve felt the stress, the exhaustion, and the quiet anger of knowing the system is rigged to keep people like us down. I’m not okay with that and I’m done waiting for someone else to fix it.
I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I know how to fight. I know how to listen. And I know what it means to tell the truth, even when it’s hard. This campaign isn’t about party lines or polished slogans. It’s about stepping up when the people in power won’t. It’s about making government work for the rest of us again.
If you’re tired of being ignored, if you’re sick of watching politicians serve donors while your family gets left behind, then stand with me. I won’t sell you out. I won’t play the game. I’ll fight for the people- Help Working Families Thrive I’ve lived the struggle of working hard and still falling behind. Families are skipping medical care, working two jobs, and still can't afford rent, while billionaires like the Walton's pay poverty wages and let taxpayers pick up the slack. That’s not a free market, it’s corporate welfare. I’m running to change that. We need fair wages, affordable healthcare, and a government that serves working people, not just the powerful. When families thrive, communities rise.
- Fighting Corruption I’m running because I’m sick of watching politicians get rich while the rest of us struggle. They’re supposed to serve the people, not use public office to play the stock market and cash in on insider knowledge. No one in Congress should be trading stocks at all... they write the laws and see the briefings. Every dollar they make from those trades comes at someone else’s expense. I won’t be part of that game. I’m here to fight for a government that serves working people, not one that lines the pockets of those already in power.
- Expose Those Blocking Reform Our political system is broken, and too many in Washington are fine with it because it benefits them. I’m running to shine a light on the insiders protecting the status quo. We need real reform, starting with campaign finance, and the only reason we haven’t gotten it is because too many politicians are more focused on protecting their power than serving the people. I’ll fight to fix what’s broken, and I’ll make sure anyone standing in the way is exposed and held accountable. No more hiding behind procedure. It’s time for truth.
Second up we have my Uncle, Brigadier General Charles O'Toole Jr. He was a super star of a man, almost definitely manic, but channeled that manic energy like a champion. This man managed to juggle being a Flag Officer in the Air Force Reserves as a flight surgeon, a D.O. with an active practice, and a semi-pro soccer player. He was one of the prides of Granbury from what I understand, and I loved going to his house multiple times a year. Despite his busy life, he still found his way to my boot camp graduation and to visit me in the Navy. Sadly Alzheimer's took his life as well.
Finally, my maternal grandfather, Grandpa or Jack Friedman. He was a lawyer and despite technically being adoptive grandfather, I never felt less than loved and family with him. I will always value the major values he gave me on my stays at his house, mostly centered around respect and compassion.
Tombstone speaks to the moment I’m in now. I’ve realized I can’t keep waiting for someone else to fix things. If I want change, I have to be the one to step up and make it happen. Braveheart captures that sense of being dragged into a fight you didn’t ask for, but stepping up because the stakes are too high to ignore. I didn’t grow up dreaming about politics, I just wanted a decent, stable life. But disruption after disruption has shown me that silence and comfort aren’t options anymore.
SLC Punk stuck with me for a different reason. It’s raw, chaotic, and painfully honest about the system, and about the hard truth that sometimes the only way to change it is from the inside. That message is part of what brought me here. The Patriot reminds me of the duty we all carry, especially those of us who served. It’s about protecting the values this country was supposed to stand for, even when those in power have lost their way.
Honesty should be non-negotiable. Not just honesty about facts, but honesty about priorities, motivations, and mistakes. Voters deserve leaders who tell the truth even when it’s inconvenient, who don’t hide behind polished statements or political spin. People can disagree on policy, but they can’t build trust if the person representing them is constantly playing games with the truth.
Intelligence matters, not just the kind that shows up in a résumé, but the wisdom to know what you don’t know, and the humility to ask for help. Elected officials make decisions that affect millions of lives. That requires being able to read and understand complex information, seek out real experts, and weigh competing arguments without ego getting in the way. We need fewer politicians who think they already know everything and more who are willing to listen, learn, and grow.
And above all else, an elected official must have a real desire to serve. Not to build a brand, chase a career, or climb a ladder; but to help the people in their district live better, more secure lives. This is public service. The job is to show up, speak up, and fight for your community, especially when it’s hard or unpopular. If someone is not driven by that purpose, they shouldn’t be in office.
I have survived challenges most do not ever face and the only thing they have shown is my determination to trudge along. I do not promise I will be a perfect candidate or representative, I do not promise that everyone will agree with every action I take, but I will be able to look anyone in the eye and tell them the honest reasoning behind why I take any action.
Representation starts with being present. You have to stay connected to the people you serve, not just through speeches or social media, but by showing up, answering calls, and being available when someone needs help. A good representative makes sure their constituents can navigate the complexity of government; whether that’s getting a passport, accessing veterans’ benefits, or cutting through red tape with Social Security or Medicare. When someone is stuck, you don’t pass the buck. You get results.
On the legislative side, it means knowing how to read a bill and understand what it really does, not just what it says in the title. It means thinking through the long-term impact on working families, small businesses, veterans, farmers, and everyday people. It means asking: Will this help them live safer, healthier, more stable lives? Or is it a giveaway to those who already have too much?
It also means being able to say no. No to policies that hurt your district, no to corrupt deals, and no to anything that sells out the people who trusted you with their vote. Sometimes, doing your job means making powerful people uncomfortable.
I "remember" the Monica Lewinski scandal about as well as I remember the OJ Simpson saga and other events of the mid-90s in that I remember them going on, but was still young enough I did not truly register their impact at the time.
I feel though, for this it would have to be 9/11. I vividly remember this day. I remember standing in the living room, late for school, telling my grandmother about how a plane had run into one of the world trade centers in NYC. I remember seeing the second plan flying behind the buildings from one side to the other and thinking that was strange. I remember when the second plane arrived back on the screen and within seconds there was an explosion and the ticker on the screen instantly changed to say "Terrorists Attack the World Trade Centers."
I remember laughing after my grandmother took me to school afterwards, while most other kids were being picked up from school by concerned parents. She would later say "What, was I to be scared you'd be attacked at school? That was the safest place for you to be." Different times, huh?
That was the first major historical event that had true impact on my life. It was the event that took my desire to join the military to a plan to actually join. It was two years later that I signed my enlistment papers and almost three years before I'd go to boot camp.
I quite enjoyed working there, it was my first but far from my last experience in customer service.
Fiction book - For a single book, I'd have to say Star Wars: Thrawn Treason, as it is the excellent conclusion to a great trilogy that covers one of my favorite Star Wars characters in the period soon after the fall of the Republic.
For a series though, I cannot overlook the R.A. Salvatore written series about Drizz't Do'Urden. These books I discovered in high school and have stayed current with the series ever sense, all 40+ books now. The way the Salvatore covers modern political and cultural themes in his fantasy books is absolutely wonderful in my opinion, and while the writing is at a more accessible level I find it to still be engaging.
However, my father is a monster. He abused me as a child until I finally confronted him in front of my grandmother, his mother. He never touched me in that way again and began years long efforts of burying the memories and making me think they were nightmares, as despite my grandmother apparently making him stop, she never turned him in. She protected her son at the expense of her grandson, and in the future other children.
My father bounced around from place to place, was given a couple of different houses over the years only to lose them and restart the cycle, so I mostly stayed with my grandparents.
Beyond its financial power, the House also has the potential to be the most truly representative body in our government. With shorter terms and smaller districts than the Senate, members of the House are closer to the people they represent. This structure was designed to ensure that voices from all walks of American life; working-class families, rural communities, immigrants, veterans, small business owners, teachers, caretakers, have a seat at the table. But for that to be real, we have to break out of the narrow, elite mold of what a “proper” politician is supposed to look and sound like.
Too often, the House ends up filled with people who have more in common with lobbyists and corporate boards than with the communities they claim to represent. That’s not what the Founders intended, and it’s not what this country needs. The House should be a place where real people, not just career politicians, bring their lived experience to the legislative process.
But too often, that same experience comes with baggage. It can lead to "inside the box" thinking, where people stop asking what should be done and start obsessing over what’s “realistic” within a broken system. It can create a mindset where the goal becomes surviving politically instead of serving boldly. You end up with people more concerned about protecting their status and relationships than delivering for their constituents.
What we need is balance. I don’t think the House should be filled entirely with political newcomers, nor should it be dominated by career politicians. We need a real cross-section of America, people from all walks of life who bring different experiences, values, and priorities to the table. That includes teachers, veterans, nurses, tradespeople, farmers, small business owners, and yes, even some with political backgrounds, but not all cut from the same cloth.
Right now, Congress is overloaded with individuals who all took the same path, speak the same language, and operate in the same donor-driven echo chamber. That’s not representation. That’s an echo chamber of political self-interest.
The danger isn’t just that people are being misled. It’s that we’re being divided, deliberately and systematically, by those who benefit from keeping us at each other’s throats. Disinformation is being weaponized to pit neighbor against neighbor, to erode trust in every institution, and to make us so cynical that we stop believing in the possibility of change. And it’s not just foreign adversaries fueling this; plenty of domestic actors; political operatives, media figures, and special interests, are stoking the flames for profit or power.
Both parties have been guilty of exploiting division, and too many elected officials are more interested in scoring points than solving problems. But we won’t be able to fix anything... not the economy, not healthcare, not corruption, if we can’t even agree on what’s real. You can’t find common ground when you’re living on two different planets.
We need bold solutions: media literacy education in schools, stronger transparency from social platforms, independent oversight of algorithmic amplification, and accountability for those who knowingly spread harmful falsehoods. This is not a call for censorship, it’s a call for clarity, honesty, and shared reality.
A two-year cycle allows voters to remove ineffective or unresponsive representatives relatively quickly. That kind of turnover can be a safety valve when democracy is functioning as it should. In theory, it keeps representatives responsive, humble, and focused on the people, not just their political careers.
But the downside is clear too. Representatives barely have time to learn the ropes before they’re forced to start campaigning again. The constant pressure to fundraise and prepare for re-election can keep them from doing the job they were elected to do in the first place. Instead of writing policy, listening to constituents, or holding oversight hearings, many spend more time dialing for dollars and managing optics. That’s not governance, that’s survival.
In my view, the real problem isn’t the term length, it’s the system around it. If we had meaningful campaign finance reform that reduced or eliminated the constant need for fundraising, and if we had enforceable recall mechanisms to remove officials who betray their duties, then we could have a real conversation about adjusting term lengths. Maybe a four-year term would make sense in a system that isn't dominated by money and special interests.
The real threat isn’t just career politicians. It’s the unelected power players; the lobbyists, corporate consultants, and influence brokers who never leave. These are the people who stay in Washington administration after administration, pushing the same agendas, regardless of who the voters send to Congress. If we impose strict term limits on elected officials without addressing the unchecked influence of money and lobbying, we risk handing even more power to those unelected forces.
Think about it: if a new representative is limited to just a few terms, they may never have the chance to develop the expertise or relationships needed to navigate the complex legislative process. Who will they rely on? The long-time lobbyists and insiders who already run the show behind the scenes. That’s not reform... it’s just rearranging the chairs while the same people steer the ship.
So yes, I believe term limits should be part of the conversation, but only as part of broader electoral and political reform. That means real campaign finance reform, stronger transparency laws, bans on lobbying by former members of Congress, and a serious crackdown on the revolving door between government and private influence.
My goal isn’t to “be like” anyone. It’s to break the mold. To show that you can come from a working-class background, speak plainly, and still make a real impact. I want to be the kind of representative who does the work, tells the truth, and doesn't spend every waking moment trying to craft the perfect image. I’m not interested in playing to a party line or building a brand, I’m interested in results. In making life better for people who’ve been ignored for too long.
That means showing up for the people who sent me, even when the cameras aren’t rolling. It means being honest about what I know and what I still need to learn. It means fighting like hell for my district, even when it’s inconvenient or unpopular. I’m not running to build a career. I’m running to build trust and to get things done.
Fast forward to today, that same man works at the very factory where his father once made $35,000. He’s doing the same job, and making just $40,000. Thirty years have gone by, and wages have barely moved while the cost of housing, healthcare, and everything else has exploded. That story hit me hard, not because it’s rare, but because it’s so painfully common.
I’ve seen it in my own life too. I’ve accomplished more on paper than my father ever did, but he was able to own multiple homes and still lost them to back taxes. Meanwhile, despite my success, I can’t afford to buy a home in the country I served. That’s not a personal failure. That’s a system failure.
The American Dream isn’t just slipping away... it’s being dismantled, piece by piece, by a rigged economy and a political class that stopped fighting for regular people a long time ago. We’re told to work hard, follow the rules, and everything will work out. But for too many, that promise has been broken.
As the night goes on, the Scottish man notices a fly landed in his drink. Not bothered, he reaches down, plucks the fly out and tosses it to the side before taking a swig.
That said, not all compromises are created equal. There are certain lines I will not cross. You don’t compromise on human dignity, on civil rights, on whether working families deserve to live with stability and respect. You don’t trade away the people who trusted you to fight for them just to get a win on paper. Compromise that weakens justice or sells out the vulnerable isn’t noble, it’s betrayal.
But I also understand that politics is the art of the possible. If you aren’t willing to make deals, you can’t get the votes you need to turn your ideas into actual change. Being unwilling to compromise at all might feel righteous, but it often means you get nothing done. I’d rather deliver 80% of something that helps real people than walk away with 100% of nothing.
The key is knowing the difference between strategic negotiation and moral surrender. You need a clear compass, a clear conscience, and the courage to say no when a deal goes too far, but also the wisdom to say yes when progress is possible. I believe in working across differences, not because I want to water down my values, but because I want to get things done that actually improve people’s lives.
Right now, we have a tax system that rewards exploitation. Billionaires and major corporations use loopholes, offshore accounts, and complex schemes to avoid paying their fair share. Meanwhile, working people, the ones who keep this country running, are told to sacrifice more, tighten their belts, and “do their part” while the wealthiest avoid accountability entirely. That has to end.
I do not believe that anyone struggling to survive should be asked to give more to a system that gives them so little in return. If you're working full-time and still living paycheck to paycheck, you shouldn’t have to worry that your tax dollars are being used to pad the bottom lines of companies that pay nothing into the system. We need a revenue policy that starts by asking those who have benefited the most from our economy to finally pay what they owe, not by squeezing those who are already stretched to the limit.
There are many ways to fix the system: closing tax loopholes, ending corporate tax breaks that reward outsourcing and wage suppression, implementing fair wealth taxes, and investing in enforcement to ensure the ultra-rich can’t cheat the system with impunity. None of these require raising taxes on working families.
Investigations must focus on ensuring that our government is doing right by the people it serves. That means uncovering not just fraud, waste, and abuse... but also corruption. We hear about wasteful spending and inefficiency, but too often we overlook the self-dealing, backroom deals, and influence-peddling that benefit the powerful while working families get left behind.
If someone is using their public office for personal gain, they should be investigated. If a contractor is overcharging taxpayers or a federal agency is failing its mission, they should be investigated. If any member of government, regardless of party, is violating their oath or exploiting the people they represent, then the House has not just the authority but the responsibility to expose it.
This is not about political theater or partisan payback. It’s about protecting the public interest. We need clear-eyed, honest oversight that’s focused on getting to the truth and fixing what’s broken. That means calling in the people responsible, following the money, and making the findings public, not burying them for convenience or political gain.
First and foremost, I would be interested in serving on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee. This is where corruption is confronted head-on. From government waste to influence peddling, this committee has the power to expose how our system is being exploited by the powerful and connected. I want to help shine a light on the self-dealing, corporate lobbying, and backroom deals that too often go unchallenged, and fight for real transparency and accountability.
With my background in Navy Intelligence, I also believe I’d bring valuable insight to the House Armed Services Committee. I know what it means to serve, and I know what’s at stake when we send Americans into harm’s way. I want to ensure our military policy is grounded in defense, not profit, and that we take care of our veterans with the same commitment they gave to us. I would also push for oversight of defense spending to prevent waste and abuse.
I’m also drawn to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which covers a wide range of issues from healthcare and public health to broadband and infrastructure. These are everyday issues that matter to working families, especially in rural and underserved areas. This committee is also a frontline in the fight to hold corporate power accountable; whether that’s in big pharma, telecom, or fossil fuels.
The House Committee on Education and the Workforce is another area where I could serve the public well. Working people deserve fair wages, strong labor protections, and access to job training and education without being buried in debt. This is a space to advocate for unions, apprenticeships, and real economic mobility.
Every dollar that flows into a campaign should be traceable, from individual donors to dark money groups. If someone wants to influence an election, the public has a right to know who they are and what they expect in return. Voters deserve to know who’s really behind the ads, the messaging, and the policy.
But transparency isn’t enough if there’s no accountability. I believe we should have recall mechanisms for federal officials, just like many states do. If someone abuses the power of their office, if they sell out the people they were elected to serve, the voters shouldn’t have to wait for the next election to remove them. There should be a democratic check — because some betrayals are too big to ignore.
I also believe no elected official should be allowed to vote on legislation that impacts an industry or interest they’ve received money from. Period. If you take donations from Big Oil, you don’t get to vote on energy policy. If you take money from pharmaceutical companies, you don’t vote on drug pricing. This isn’t radical... it’s common sense. We’ve allowed conflicts of interest to become standard operating procedure in Congress, and that’s why trust in government is at an all-time low.
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Campaign finance summary
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See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 19, 2025
