Ashley McDaniel’s activism couldn’t be more in tune with where she hails from. Though born in Baytown, Ashley was raised in Liberty, Texas, where she currently resides. Individuals who fearlessly lead, and tirelessly defend liberty have motivated her to do the same.
A middle school history teacher by trade, McDaniel loves to inspire others, especially young people. She spreads her influence through her involvement in a various number of groups. McDaniel is the President of the Southeast Texas Young Republicans and is a campus student ministry leader. She is also involved in 5th Quarter, a youth outreach program in her school district. “I hope that my involvement inspires other young Texans, like myself, to get involved,” said McDaniel.
McDaniel comes from a family that places emphasis on public service. She says her priority is always doing what’s best for the country, which by default makes her a “political person.”
“It’s extremely important to me to protect and defend the conservative values that made our country the greatest in the world,” McDaniel says.
Her drive for preserving conservative values is what got her started being active at such a young age. McDaniel’s first memory of her interest in politics was from a mock presidential election in elementary school. She says, “from that year forward I was always fascinated by the political process, supporting conservative causes, and elected officials were my childhood heroes.”
As McDaniel got older, her involvement became more of a staple in her everyday life. Her first political job was holding signs for then-candidate Ted Poe during his first congressional run. The excitement and experience of doing her part has now come full circle, as she is now the one getting young people excited to do the same exact thing that inspired her to get involved in the first place.
In high school McDaniel and her friends made a point to be a voice for the voiceless by supporting many pro-life causes. “Sadly our country lacks leadership that’s willing to go the extra mile, do the right thing, and protect the country that has given so much to them,” McDaniel says. The trend of complacency and lack of desire to help bring about change in our community motivates her to work harder. She says that when she looks at great leaders, both political and nonpolitical, a similarity she sees is their commitment to being the hardest working person in the room. McDaniel strives to be that person for the next generation that carries the torch, to ensure that liberties are safeguarded for future generations.