Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Panayiotou.
Hi Chris, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I moved to the same working-class North Dallas neighborhood in which I currently reside when I was eight years old. Thirty-five years in this community, being the son of an immigrant, and having traveled abroad many times has helped shape my politics and worldview. Watching the 2000 election be taken from Al Gore and Ralph Nader made the scapegoat began me on my path to anti-establishmentarianism. Witnessing all of the corruption, lies, and war-mongering since, as well the Democratic Party’s sabotage of Bernie Sanders in 2016 and 2020, solidified that position.
My story did not begin in July when I announced my candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives though, I came up moving through a wide variety of circles, establishing myself as a well-known and often seen individual, which “earned” me the self-given pre-politics moniker of “Chris P: Local Celebrity.” From the call center industry in which I have made my living since I was 20 years old (I am currently a forecasting analyst), to spending 10 years going to school (Richland College, University of North Texas) part-time while working full-time, to my various entrepreneurial ventures, to my 18 years on the DFW entertainment scene, to my 10 years as Editor-In-Chief of COSIGN Magazine, my face has been out there, people know me and they know my character. The entire journey, in both entertainment and media, has been an effort to help others advance, and in my personal life, volunteering my time from charitable events to my Homeowners Association Board has also been to give back. Congress is the next evolution of this but on a much broader scale.
I have also been an avid observer and critic of the goings-on of the day, from local issues to federal issues, the latter of which sparks my interests the most. I double majored in Journalism News/Ed and Political Science at UNT because of this, originally intending to become a political columnist. (The entry-level wages into print, as well as the media consolidation and expansion of corporate narratives changed my mind.) I’ve watched my community’s ups and downs, realizing that the trend has been primarily downward over the past several years, regardless of which administration is in power. The political class has abandoned working people for the donor class, and this is just as true in one party as it is in the other. Big business has bought its influence, to the point that we have long since achieved a corporatist state, in which the will of the people is nearly always trumped by the will of the corporations. From war to the eroding of the social safety net programs and our civil liberties to the assault on the middle- and working-classes, we find ourselves at the tail end of a giant figurative game of Monopoly, but with real-world consequences.
I drive around town and have never seen so many people living on the street, having been priced out of their homes and left to the curb. The parties only focus on scoring political points against each other, while they both work against the people on economic issues, as they are both subservient to the same donors. They divide us in every way, except for class, because they understand that we have more in common with our neighbors than they want us to recognize, and class unity among the masses is a recipe for their demise.
I go to Democratic Party events regularly, and all I hear is about is the party platform. While there are some important points in the platform, rarely does anyone speak of the economic distress the population is facing. Never do I hear about grocery prices and the corporate price gouging the people experience or the skyrocketing rents and unattainable mortgages, the same mortgages we’ve been told for decades are the way to building wealth in the United States. Nor do they speak of the struggles of seniors on social security and how more than half of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. The only time I hear these topics mentioned is when they come out of MY mouth. I’ve become well versed in politician-speak, and the mealy-mouthed stances I hear turn my stomach. “Medicare for all that want it” tells me that the “champions of the people” in the Democratic Party are just as beholden to the health insurance companies as the Republicans are.
I’m running because I’m sick of the bullshit, and yes, you can quote me on that. I believe that many of society’s ills are symptoms of the greater problems of corruption, lack of concern for tackling the country’s economic issues, and the constant feeding of the war machine. The country’s failing, yet we send more than $200 billion abroad to fund a proxy war we provoked in Ukraine, a genocide in Gaza, and to fan the flames of WWIII with China. That money could fix homelessness, give us a single-payer healthcare system, cover student debt and fix the higher education system, or fix the failing infrastructure such as that of the communities in this country that don’t have clean drinking water. We talk of climate change, yet we continue to drop bombs, and we are to blame for the biggest release of methane in history when the US either blew up or gave the green light to blow up the Nordstream 2 pipeline. But “How will we pay for it?” is always the question for anything outside of war or tax cuts for the rich.
My story is just as much the issues as it is the actual narrative of my experiences and the path I took to get here. Making life better for the millions of people that have been left to struggle and fend for themselves in the richest country on the planet is a large part of who I am. We have to create conditions for the next generations to succeed while taking care of those that are already here.
When Collin Allred announced that he would seek the Senate rather than run for reelection, I knew this was my window of opportunity to run, to be a voice for working-class people like myself. This seat represents my home, my neighborhood, my community. I’m not a politician, I’m not running for career advancement, and if it were any other Congressional District, I wouldn’t have jumped in the race. You don’t have to live in the district you run in, but if you don’t, nothing says “career politician,” like someone running to represent a community they have no vested interest in.
I’m running against a doctor, a few lawyers, an accountant, and a few career politicians. Salute to their success, but success often disconnects one from the daily concerns of average Americans. I’m up against big money donations, while my donations come from some of the same people who are out here in the struggle themselves. I’m running to speak truth to power, to expose the corruption and hypocrisy, and to be a thorn in the side of the establishment. Every vote and every bill I introduce will be through the lens of “Will this help working-class people in my district and beyond?” It’s time the people had someone in the room to represent their interests, and I will be that in D.C.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road to and through politics has not been smooth. Still working a full-time nine-to-five has been a challenge for me to be able to dedicate the amount of time I’d like to the campaign. Bills still have to be paid so not working is not an option, so I’ve sacrificed sleep, hobbies, and a personal life. I signed up for this, and I’m passionate about making this country a far better place for working people, so I’m not complaining at all.
My years on the DFW entertainment scene have allowed me a broad network of people and resources, which has been a blessing, but there isn’t much political experience in my circles, so I have had to learn as I go. Also, with limited financial resources, I’ve had to replace money with leg work. While we are a small team, we are out at events constantly, regularly creating social media content and knocking on doors. It is a 750,000-person district, so that number is quite daunting, but we are determined. Also, $4000 for access to the Democratic Party’s voter rolls was a difficult hurdle to clear as well; therefore, I’ve opted to spend less than $50 in total to get my district’s voter rolls from Dallas, Collin, and Denton counties.
When they say politics is a money game, I didn’t realize that it’s also for access to the process. Nearly $3200 to get on the ballot is steep, and gathering signatures sounds easier than it is in practice, but again, I’m not letting these obstacles get in my way of representing the people.
I’m thankful for my supporters that have made the run that much easier, either in their work or their purchasing of campaign materials, or their outright donations (https://secure.fundhero.com/chrispanayiotou). We are a grassroots movement, and every dollar is greatly appreciated.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a workforce senior management analyst (also known as a forecasting analyst) and have been in the field since 2000. This is my day job. The side gig is working for COSIGN Magazine for the past 10 years. I am the Editor-In-Chief.
And as of July, I am a Candidate for the US House of Representatives in Texas 32nd Congressional District. (My bio tells what sets me apart.)
Pricing:
- Most supporters make $25 donations or purchase $25 campaign t-shirts.
Contact Info:
- Website: ChrisPforCongress.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/ChrisPforCongress
- Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisPforCongress
- Twitter: twitter.com/ChrisP4Congress
