Ep. 17 - Dan Schwartz (Congressional Candidate): A Race to Turn Maryland Blue: Maryland's 1st Congressional District

In this episode of Beyond the Hyphen, host Mark Li sits down with Dan Schwartz, a consumer protection advocate and Democratic candidate for Congress in Maryland’s First District.The conversation examines affordability, healthcare, and consumer protection through the lens of how Congress actually functions in practice. Schwartz discusses his background in regulatory enforcement, the gap between laws on the books and lived protections, and how internal power structures—particularly the influence of the Freedom Caucus—shape legislative outcomes.The episode also explores federal issues affecting young voters, questions of accountability and representation in Maryland, and what effective leadership looks like at a moment of institutional strain.