By Brad Torch, candidate for Amarillo City Council Place 3
I am now officially on week four of the campaign trail. The first three weeks have been nothing short of amazing. An emotional roller coaster, if you will, except with a short nap in between the ups and downs. My quest for seat #3 on the Amarillo City Council is fully underway, and both the pressure and relief are apparent. The pressure of squeezing events, meetings, and consultations into an busy schedule that includes time with my family and work. The relief of what I have already accomplished, the warm acceptance I have received thus far, knowing that my family will love me regardless of the outcome, and knowing that the work I am putting in, regardless of winning the election, is enlightening people that positive change is achievable.
In the first three weeks, I have met and spoken with many of Amarillo's amazing residents. I have had the opportunity to really get an idea of what people want from their city leaders. Generally speaking, they don’t want much, which makes it unfathomable that our current and past leaders have not been able to deliver. It simply might be that they just haven't put the effort into listening to the community and acknowledging what the residents’ wants and needs are. Or they could be ignoring their wants and needs, so that they can use their positions to benefit themselves and their friends, family, and campaign donors. I believe it is a combination of both, but regardless of the reason, it is time to elect people who want to support the city, not themselves.
One of my stops this last weekend, was at the Amarillo NAACP meeting, which is held monthly. I was surprised to see Mayor Ginger Nelson there to speak on a few issues that have been recently discussed within the NAACP, a couple of these issues have been in active discussion for many years, however none of the previous councils have addressed them. I won't get into the details, however, Mayor Nelson was mostly noncommittal on any resolutions for these issues, except for one, which really had to be forced out of her. It was certainly eye opening to see her avoid giving concrete answers to simple questions. I feel bad for the animosity there is towards her, but at the same time, when people feel like you aren't listening, they are going to react in a more demanding way. I might also add that, to my understanding, since she was elected in May 2017, this was her first visit to an NAACP meeting.
When I am elected, the one thing I will promise you, I will not sell my values out for votes. I will do everything that is right by the voters and my morals. If my actions as a City Council member don't get me re-elected, then I didn't do an effective job. I will not pander or tell false truths, just to earn votes. As I move forward through my campaign, I would be more than honored to visit with any group or individual who would like to express their concerns or ideas in regards to our great city. This week I am excited to be interviewed by Jackie Kingston, from KAMR, Channel 4 News, which will be on an upcoming airing of “Politics Today" which is on Sunday mornings at 10:00. I will also be making a major announcement regarding my campaign, on Tuesday morning. If you see me out in the community, please do not hesitate to stop me and say hello. I absolutely love meeting people, especially my future constituents.
Torch/Photo by Campaign