Retired US Navy captain in running for US Congress seat in North Texas

District 25 hopeful William Marks kicks off campaign

Last week, FOX 4 interviewed Dione Sims as she launched her campaign for Congressional District 25. Now, her Democratic rival William Marks is launching his campaign. 

FORT WORTH, Texas - In the race for a newly redrawn Texas congressional district, one challenger for the Democratic primary believes he's the non-career politician with experience in Washington that the voters need. 

William Marks for Congress

William Marks is a retired U.S. Navy Captain. His military career includes combat missions and multiple roles as a public affairs official.

His latest endeavor is a run for Congress in Texas District 25.

Marks has been campaigning for six months, crisscrossing the newly redrawn district’s wide swath of rural and urban communities.  It’s a region that includes parts of 13 counties, including Parker, Tarrant, Johnson and as far south as Hays and Travis counties.

William Marks

What they're saying:

"I’ve been in combat operations and I came back, and I looked around, and I said, ‘This is not what I fought for,’" Marks said.

"I didn’t fight for billionaires to get richer while you pay taxes," Marks continued. "I didn’t fight for politicians to strip away your healthcare. I didn’t fight for your public schools to get less funding."

Marks believes he has the right background for the voters in District 25.

"What I think people need is a candidate with career experience in Washington, D.C., but who is not a career politician," Marks said. "That’s me. I spent many years in Washington, from the Pentagon, the Defense Intelligence Agency, working budgets, working intelligence briefings, so I understand the system."

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Marks says he wants to make life better for families and workers who have carried the brunt of inflation, the increasing cost of health care and underfunded schools.

"We’re going to make your jobs better by making billionaires pay their fair share," Marks said. "We’re going to make them invest in their employees so that your wages go up, your benefits get better."

"Every time I speak — I’ve done more than 100 in-person events over the six months of my campaign — I leave everyone with a phrase. I say, ‘Lift everyone up. Leave no one behind, because the only way out is through.’ And I truly believe that."

District 25 Democratic primary

Dione Sims

In the Democratic primary race, Marks faces Fort Worth native and non-profit founder, Dione Sims, the granddaughter of civil rights icon Dr. Opal Lee.  

The district was revised with a Republican-led effort to garner five new seats in Congress. The new boundaries absorbed parts of neighboring District 33, which led to U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey's decision not to seek reelection. 

Whichever of the two prevails will have an uphill battle working to unseat longtime incumbent Roger Williams. 

District 25 incumbent

Congressman Roger Williams

Marks believes Williams is out of touch with the district’s voters.

"Your congressperson should not be making millions of dollars once they’re elected," Marks said. "Roger Williams' personal net worth has gone up almost by $100 million since he first got elected."

"We have hundreds of thousands of people in a brand new urban or rural (area) like Fort Worth that Roger Williams doesn’t even know," Marks said. "He’s not their congressman. I don’t think he’s even ever been to Southeast Fort Worth."