BRYAN, Texas — Bobby Gutierrez, a Bryan-College Station native, has served on the Bryan City Council for years and wants to continue to see his community grow. He is running against Brent Hairston and Mike Southerland in the Mayoral race.
In our interview with Gutierrez, we met at Polite Coffee in Bryan where he shared everything from his family's history of ranching to his claims that he doesn't like to identify as a politician.
Question:
"A lot of people put their identity in different things, so what comes first in your life?"
Answer
"I think it's the people. I really think it is. I mean, I have a good, solid faith. I grew up in faith, and I trust in things that if I'm a good person, if I act like a good person, and I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing in the right way, not to harm anyone else...that's one of my pillars."
Question:
"You said in times of struggle, you're always able to gather everyone together and make a consensus, is that what makes you stand out as a candidate?"
Answer:
"I think that would be it. Every board or commission I've been on, I'm not afraid to give my opinion. I don't think my opinion is always right, I think it's just my opinion. Everyone's opinion matters, I mean we all want the same thing."
Question:
"What was that turning point for you to step into the spotlight and run for Mayor?"
Answer:
"When I looked at the candidates. Truly, when I looked at the candidates and the reason why they were running. I looked, we were going to have five new people on council and it's truly a pivotal point in our community right now. If you like what we've done, if you like what we've done in the last fifteen years, I'm absolutely the guy that's going to take over it."
Question:
"If you were elected Mayor, are you wanting to build on what's previously accomplished, or solve some of the problems in our area?"
Answer:
"There's obviously both. We are one community. What happens in College Station affects us, what happens hear affects them, what happens in the county affects everything. A&M, being the economic driver of our community, affects everybody."
Question:
"As politicians, sometimes you can't reveal everything you're discussing with the council, sometimes you can't be fully transparent, but I think a lot of people would disagree. I think a lot of people want politicians to be fully transparent. If you were elected Mayor, do you believe transparency is key to the people, or do you think your actions take precedent?"
Answer:
"Transparency is obviously critical to what you do. It's critical to everything we do in the city. Transparency, when it comes to the personal lives of people, I don't think that side. There's stuff that can't be revealed and shouldn't be revealed, because we got to get through negotiations first. Get through those negotiations, get through that stuff there. To me, discretion is everything and you can't survive in this world without having it."
Question:
"I would say politics has become increasingly contentious on the state level, on the national level, and sometimes even the local level. Do you believe politics in these races here in Bryan has become contentious?"
Answer:
"That's not representation. You know, screaming, yelling, cussing, acting up, doing all the things you wouldn't do, you shouldn't do at home or anywhere. Certainly shouldn't be on center stage at your city council.... I know for me, I'm going to be as much of a gentleman as I can be. You know, I think politics right now is...I hate being called a politician. It's one of those things that I'm a servant of the people, I do try to do what I do...but no that's just no. I want to be known as Bobby."
Question:
"If you had to pin down your campaign to one word, what would it be?"
Answer:
"It would have to be gratitude. Gratitude is what's been given to our family from our community. With the generations that we've had, I'm the second of 12 kids all raised in BISD all raised in our community. I got here when I was three, everyone else was pretty much born here and raised here, you know developed here and grew up here. This community has put everyone through college, patron our business, welcomed us as one of their own and gratitude...gratitude is it."
If you'd like to learn more about Gutierrez and his campaign, you can visit his campaign page here.