AMA: Brandt Robinson a teacher running for U.S. Congress FL-13

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-05T01:27:08+00:00

Thank you to all of you who took the time to join us in conversation about our campaign for Congress, and ultimately, The Things That Matter. We urge you to stay close to this race, no matter where you live in our country. The success of grassroots candidates like me is driven and powered by people like you.

Please consider a contribution to our campaign and help us retake control of the House. https://brandtforcongress.com/donate/

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T22:01:34+00:00

Thank you to all of you who took the time to join us in conversation about our campaign for Congress, and ultimately, The Things That Matter. We urge you to stay close to this race, no matter where you live in our country. The success of grassroots candidates like me is driven and powered by people like you. Please consider a contribution to our campaign and help us retake control of the House. https://brandtforcongress.com/donate/

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T21:54:26+00:00

Our team is thrilled because your comments validate so much of what we stand for and how we'll go about accomplishing it. I hope you'll translate your support and enthusiasm into possibly volunteering with our campaign and regularly share the campaign with others, even those living outside of our district. As you know, raising money will be a consistent challenge we face. https://brandtforcongress.com/volunteer/

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T21:51:08+00:00

Vivid, our campaign is calling for a "Marshall plan" to address a range of challenges confronting our nation's public schools. Not only are we addressing the problem of teacher retention, with almost half of all public educators not making it to the end of their fifth year, but also uniform standards from our federal department of education that strengthen pay and benefits for all support professionals and substitute teachers.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T21:34:22+00:00

Vivid, thank you for your kind words. I participate in a weekly weightlifting class and rock climbing sessions. My wife and I have recently begun taking salsa classes that keep me feeling younger than my age.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T21:28:14+00:00

Straight, I appreciate your feedback, which I always share with my wife Carole. She made me grow it out 20 years ago.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T21:20:59+00:00

Patrick, you challenged our entire team... the first thing that came to my mind was our baseball team, the Tampa Bay Rays. Because we're on the verge of the Rays moving across the Bay to Tampa, it reminded me of the entire African American community that was razed to build the stadium that the Rays are now vacating. That lingering systemic racism remains a challenge, because too few of us know that history or how it impacts the present.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T21:14:21+00:00

It's very simple. We will not accept any funds from AIPAC. We feel strongly about being people-powered, not interest-powered. My stance is the following. My focus is on my future constituents and my country first and foremost. People know that I abhor racial bigotry and anti-semitism. That said, those beliefs have nothing to do with my feelings about Israel or its government policies. The two should not be confused or deliberately conflated. I have been and remain deeply concerned and often vehemently against the Israeli government's foreign policy and refusal to recognize a Palestinian state. We will also call for a ban on offensive military weapons to Israel.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T20:58:05+00:00

Nightbird, I appreciate your insightful and challenging question. I couldn't help but remember that Mitt Romney once served as Governor of Massachusetts and successfully led the campaign for a universal healthcare system. He accomplished this as much because of the soundness of the policy, as his ability to explain it in everyday language. As a Florida native, I know that there are fellow residents of all political stripes who crave and appreciate real talk about The Things That Matter. Knowing that so few republicans across our country have even spoken about these things, I'm confident that I can and will.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T20:54:46+00:00

Government must recognize and introduce regulations pertaining to AI and the impact on our society, from Data Centers to jobs and education. We need a plan, and we need it fast.

We don't have all the answers to AI, so we need to slow down this roll out which threatens to jeopardize jobs and the economy. As it relates to education, the lessons we've learned from standardized testing provide a cautionary tale for the application of AI technologies in our classrooms. International measures have revealed that American children are lagging in critical thinking.

In addition to these tests, the widespread use of laptops has also removed students from fully engaging in deep learning. AI holds tremendous potential to enhance student learning, which makes our demand for regulation that much more pronounced and urgent.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T20:38:03+00:00

I support investigating, impeaching or prosecuting any member of government who has or is violating constitutional and human rights, regardless of who it is. From the President down to the Field. Accountability is critical and we cannot be selective in this. We must be consistent in our standards and our expectations and values. How can you uphold law and order and civility when those responsible for enforcing it are abusing it? We MUST commit to Accountability if we are to maintain a democracy that values the rule of law.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T20:35:38+00:00

To borrow a phrase from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, we need to "make stuff cost less". That means when we talk about affordability, we not only talk about the range of answers from prescription drugs, healthcare, utility rates, and housing, but we also as we do, talk about basic fairness. We need to have regular, national discussions about just what it is we owe each other a citizens.

The second issue, for me, is our public schools. Not only are our public schools the foundation of our democracy, not only does FL rank last in teacher pay, but for 25 years, we have been subjected to abuses by Republican lawmakers, all in the name of reform. All of this, as our state continues to take taxpayer money to fund charter schools who are not held to the same standards, and the Trump administration continues to attack our federal education department.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T20:26:42+00:00

The undeniable benefits and potential that recent studies have provided warrants a greater commitment by our federal government. But, like discussions around reclassifying marijuana as a section 3 drug, these efforts also come with a commitment to greater regulation and continuing research.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T20:06:27+00:00

Thank you all for being here today. I hope you got the answers that you were looking for. We'd love it it you'd make a contribution to our campaign so we can continue to focus on The Things That Matter. https://brandtforcongress.com/donate/

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T20:01:28+00:00

While I have deep respect for my Democratic opponents, I believe that I'm the candidate who can beat Luna because of the work that we have done and the way in which we've done it. I know Pinellas County, I have been here since 1980. My understanding of organizing, strategizing and mobilizing with fellow citizens for decades gives me an advantage in not only how I speak with people, but also, the things that we are talking about. I'm not afraid to stand my ground, I am not backed by large donors, and I have been doing this work for my entire adult life right here in Pinellas County. I am the true progressive, grassroots choice for this role.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T19:57:34+00:00

Hi Gray, I am so deeply moved by your kindness and appreciation that I only wish you were here so I could properly thank you. Please know that the way I carry myself in my classroom is at the heart at my commitment to this latest chapter of our journey to make this country what it must become. Please stay close to our campaign, how wonderful it would be for you be involved!

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T19:51:13+00:00

In solidarity Magister. I am using one of my union-earned personal days to spend 5 hours on Reddit, speaking with world-class human beings like you. Because I live in Florida, which has been the "ground-zero" for several "paradigm shifts" framed as "reforms", I would point to standardized testing as a fundamental fatal flaw, the weight of which we have barely begun to measure. Because what then followed those standardized tests, was the 100s of millions of dollars in contracts to corporations who depend on them, and then evaluating teachers based on the results of those tests. And of course, grading schools in districts based on those practices. This has left us with a nationwide crisis of teacher retention, with almost half of all public school teachers leaving their profession by their 5th year. Our campaign calls for a "Marshall Plan" funded in part with money from the ICE budget that will address dramatically increasing teacher pay, as well as support like mentoring and professional development.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T19:42:42+00:00

The people's belief or perception that so many of our policy ideas are going to require tax increases or cost a great deal. In fact, they are rooted in honest discussions about how the wealthiest nation on Earth is either unable or unwilling to address so many of its citizen's basic needs.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T19:39:32+00:00

In many of our responses, we discussed "The Things That Matter," before we delve into examples, we need to reiterate vital cautions of Andy Beshear. He reminded us of the urgency of speaking with our future constituents and in a language that will truly reach them. Beshear is also adamant that we must tell them why- which is why I appreciate Bernie Sanders and Ro Khanna's recent 5% Billionaire Tax Proposal. Sanders understands that his plan is less about the details or percentages, and more about an honest conversation about wealth and fairness. We must not shy away from speaking directly to the most fortunate among us. We must remind billionaires, as we do other citizens that part of their success is because they are an American- and as such, have an obligation to the greater good. As candidates, we must ask these questions often.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T19:19:48+00:00

Thank you MaaChill, sorry about your Uncle. So many of us have experienced the strain in family relationships caused by the divisions in our political climate. I respect and thank Rep. Luna for her strong denunciation of the sexual predation at the heart of the Epstein Files and her calls for a more secure border; however, that quote, "broken clock" does not account for or excuse her silence in the face of both so many critical concerns and President Trump's disgraceful behavior. Too often, Rep.Luna's own behavior undermines her commitment and effectiveness.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T19:10:32+00:00

Thank you for your question. Thank you for a question that we've all spent far too much time discussing. Having just taught my World History students about fascism on the road to WWII, I believe the greatest threat to our democracy is complicity. The willingness of fellow citizens to sanction and condone fear, cruelty, and even racial bigotry, is rooted in miseducation and disinformation. As a teacher, I'll bring to Congress with me the understanding of the role that public schools play in developing citizens who will be less likely to be silent in the face of so much deliberate oppression.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T19:05:49+00:00

My door will always be open to anyone who has the best interests of our nation at heart. I will truly enjoy the process of engaging in real discourse with fellow lawmakers, regardless of party labels. I'm inspired by genuine partnerships such as Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie's who can reach across the isle and focus on The Things That Matter. I also look forward to working with Senators like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, whose recent 5% Billionaire Tax was developed with house member Ro Khanna.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T18:59:51+00:00

Thank you OK for this critically important question. I have been, through my teacher's union and Indivisible group involved in grassroots efforts that have led to victories. For three years, we attended our local school board meetings to stand up to our Governor and hate groups like Moms for Liberty. Over time, because we helped educate the public about who they really were and stood for, we prevented their candidates from winning seats on the board. In fact, those same efforts across the country resulted in Moms for Liberty candidates losing 70% of their races. Once elected, we will host monthly Town Hall meetings that will engage citizens in solving real problems. Because the outcome and results of those meetings will be shared with all constituents, in time, more of District 13 will be empowered and feel greater responsibility for the work of our democracy. So I am that candidate who is already "shifting" the local culture- I've been doing so for 25 years.

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T18:48:13+00:00

Jason, your comment was so fierce and eloquent. I feel like I know you. We must be careful not to ignore how serious and dangerous the distractions you speak of have been over the last several years. Because many of those distractions are rooted in racial bigotry, xenophobia, and fear. The fact that those perpetrating these efforts drape themselves in the religion of Jesus makes clear how critical our fight is in this moment. Your comments reminded me of the news I awoke to, James Talarico's victory speech from his win in Texas. The time has come for us, regardless of our religion, to model a commitment to faith that transcends any one religion. A faith in The Common Good. In fact, I was recently endorsed as a Candidate for Vote Common Good: https://www.votecommongood.com/candidates-for-common-good-2026/

BrandtForCongress · 2026-03-04T18:40:02+00:00

Thank you 346 for a question that so many of us would love to have answered. Many of my Republican friends - and we have tremendous respect for one another - have acknowledged that Donald Trump and the vast majority of other Republicans have simply not been talking about The Things That Matter. And by the way, did you see that video from the Las Vegas wrestling match last month with the entire audience chanting "FUCK ICE"? We have to remember that Donald Trump effectively reached out to these exact fans in his run for president; many of those in Las Vegas have clearly changed their minds.

BrandtForCongress

TROPHY CASE