The Bottom-Up Revolution How To Run for Office at 24 — and Win Support
Oct 21, 2025
Sam Foster, a 24-year-old engineer and mayoral candidate in Marietta, Georgia, shares his journey into politics, emphasizing the power of social media to educate and engage the community. He critiques Marietta's focus on large growth projects, advocating instead for incremental, achievable improvements. Sam highlights the importance of building local coalitions through his initiative, A Better Cobb, and offers advice for aspiring candidates to be bold and authentic. His vision for Marietta focuses on leveraging its unique layout for fast, impactful change.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Small Steps Beat Big Bets
- Sam argues that incremental, small-scale changes outperform chasing large speculative projects for long-term success.
- He emphasizes doing many practical, visible improvements rather than asking for big funding before showing results.
Historic Patterns Versus Modern Sprawl
- Sam contrasts historic downtown development patterns with modern large-project suburban growth.
- He says the traditional pattern succeeds because it enables many small owners to build community wealth.
Earn Trust With Visible Wins
- Show voters tangible wins (like better bus frequencies) before asking for big investments.
- Prioritize visible, low-cost improvements that prove change is possible.