BRYAN, Texas — Clyde Garland decided to run for the Brazos County Judge position in the November 2022 midterm elections. Garland said he previously ran years ago.
Garland is up against incumbent Duane Peters for the position and said he has served as a member of the Libertarian Party for years.
Below are some of the questions and answers from our interview with Garland at POV Coffee in Bryan.
Question:
"How long have you lived in the Bryan-College Station area?"
Answer:
"23 years."
Question:
"...What made you decide to move down in the first place?"
Answer:
"I went to A&M and then decided to retire here."
Question:
"What have you witnessed in your time since moving here?"
Answer:
"Your question was what have I witnessed in my 23 years of living here. Of course it's gotten a lot bigger...that's it. I mean your environment is just the house you live in and the road you drive on?"
Question:
"What previous political involvements do you have?"
Answer:
"I've been a libertarian for many years, and so I do anything I can to advance the party through the philosophy of liberty, rights, and The Constitution."
Question:
"What have you seen Brazos County done at the county level that you'd want to expand on?"
Answer:
"To get a base so we can get a better understanding, I'd like to find out where you stand politically that way where I stand will have some meaning to you. To do that, take ten questions, and I get to figure out how close of a libertarian you are."
Question:
"I can assure you I'm completely independent. I don't have any party affiliation. I'm just here to ask questions about your campaign, why you run? What you want to see happen if you are elected?"
Answer:
"First of all, I will not be elected. Duane Peters is my only opponent and a republican. Now the reason I'm running this time is I'm old, I'm keep wanting to get out of it but the government passed a law saying I can't run for office because they changed the law requiring us to pay a fee for the last 30 years in Texas, 40 years actually."
Question:
"Who told you you couldn't run?"
Answer:
"The law says I can't run if I'm not willing to pay the fee...I ran for office without paying the fee, so I broke the law by not paying the fee, at the convention level, by not paying the fee."
Question:
"Do you just not have the money?"
Answer:
"Let me be clear on this, I'm not paying for principle."
Question:
"You said you broke the law by not paying the fee but the Brazos County Judge is arguably the highest elected officials in our area. Why should people vote for you?"
Answer:
"Because it's the right thing to do. Those who believe in The Constitution, liberty, rights, and natural rights, and for most people to get what is right."
Question:
"Not talking federally, but more locally since you are running for Brazos County Judge, what are some of the things you want to see accomplished on the local level?"
Answer:
"Well I would like all our local officials to read The Constitution since they took an oath to support it. It would be helpful if they read it. I encourage my opponent, whoever it is, to read it."
Question:
"You have mentioned several times you want to make sure elected officials are following The Constitution. What is Brazos County doing right now that's violating The Constitution?"
Answer:
"I'll have to look at every law individually in the past year which is too much work for me. So I'd have to look at every law and compare it to The Constitution."
Question:
"Do you believe that truth and law is just subjective from person to person?"
Answer:
"First it really helps if it's written down, it's very subjective if you don't write it down. You have a right but is it a little right or a big right...they're almost opposites really."
Question:
"You believe that we should put ourselves before other people?"
Answer:
"Definitely. Yes. Yes."