Cesar Madison Tapia, a D.C. middle school teacher with viral political videos on TikTok, is running for Alexandria City Council.
Madison Tapia announced his candidacy on Friday on Instagram, and he had planned to discuss it during the Alexandria Democratic Committee’s now-canceled meeting tonight (Monday). The 26-year-old candidate teaches social studies at MacFarland Middle School in D.C. and has made hundreds of TikToks discussing politics and criticizing the Trump administration.
Madison Tapia’s priorities are improving affordability and the cost of living, strengthening protections for renters from eviction, encouraging better collaboration between the City Council and Alexandria City School Board and creating more city-run programs to expand child care.
“This city should be a city where everybody’s welcome, whether you’re a senior, whether you’re somebody who’s new, or you’re moving here to go to college,” Madison Tapia said. “I’m pretty much very late in the game, because right now I’m a one man-running show.”
So far, Madison Tapia faces three opponents in the Feb. 21 firehouse primary to fill the council seat of outgoing City Councilman R. Kirk McPike — former ADC Chair Sandy Marks, Del Ray Citizens Association President Tim Laderach and nonprofit leader Roberto Gomez.
Madison Tapia moved to the United States from Mexico with his family when he was four years old. He grew up in Fredericksburg and received citizenship after a two-year stint in the U.S. Army, which he joined after graduating from high school.
Madison Tapia goes by Cesar or the nickname CJ. He and his girlfriend have lived in an apartment in Alexandria’s West End since the beginning of 2023, he said.
On the G.I. Bill, Madison Tapia got a bachelor’s degree from George Mason University. He studied criminology and previously pursued a career in law enforcement, until President Donald Trump was elected in November 2024.
“I’m really enjoying education,” he said. “I really am, and that’s one of the main reasons I am planning on running for City Council, because I’ve been hearing a lot about the struggles that both City Council and the School Board been having with each other. Being in the classroom, I feel like it gives me a good perspective of what’s really going on.”
While at GMU, Madison Tapia worked at Lowe’s for two years and was hired as a behavioral health technician with D.C. Public Schools in late 2024.
Madison Tapia started working at MacFarland Middle School last August, where he teaches social studies to Spanish-speaking students.
These days, Madison Tapia is teaching kids about the U.S. Constitution — a familiar topic, since he’s posted hundreds of TikToks sharing his political beliefs.
“If I have the chance to join City Council, I’ll be one of the first members to be out there going to Richmond over and over to keep asking the state for more funding,” he said. “We have one Latino council member. Why not have two? A fresh perspective, and also a younger perspective.”
His campaign materials, which use royal blue, bright yellow and red, are reminiscent of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s campaign, because his designer “said I remind her of him,” he said.
Madison Tapia joined the Alexandria Young Democrats and the Alexandria Democratic Committee in 2024. This month, he was appointed to the Alexandria Housing Affordability Advisory Committee.
“What I lack in experience, I make up for with integrity,” he said. “Strategy-wise, I just want to mobilize the youth. I want to mobilize young voters. We have such a huge group, whether it be Alexandria Young Dems, or mobilized voters who rarely show up, who are constantly telling me, ‘I need someone to speak up for me.'”
Madison Tapia said that his campaign is small, and that by the date of the firehouse primary, people should expect a lot of videos on his TikTok, Instagram and Facebook pages.
“Social media will be a big factor in my campaign,” he said.
Photo via Cesar Madison Tapia/Instagram.
