Left to right: Howard Smith, Hobert “Gunny” Brown | Photos via Respective Campaigns
Hobert “Gunny” Brown, a United States Marine Corps veteran, Purple Heart recipient, philanthropist, and conservative political activist, has announced he will be running for Amarillo City Council Place 4. Shortly after Brown’s announcement, incumbent Howard Smith announced he would not be running for reelection to the same place.
Brown’s announcement he is running for Place 4 follows an announcement last week he would be running without committing to a specific place. He then published a Facebook poll asking which place he should run for. In that poll, Place 4 won with a slight majority.
Brown has stated he is planning to push for Amarillo to utilize a single-member district system for Amarillo City Council and restore trust in our local government.
In Smith’s announcement he would not be seeking reelection, he listed items he is claiming as accomplishments, including overseeing “the completion of the Embassy Suites Hotel and the downtown parking garage” and bringing the Sod Poodles to Amarillo.
Smith ended his announcement by noting that he will “continue serving the citizens of Amarillo and the newly elected City Council in whatever capacity they wish.”
Smith’s exit leaves Councilwoman Place 2 Freda Powell as the only member of the original slate elected alongside Mayor Ginger Nelson in 2017 to not make an announcement about reelection. Councilman Place 1 Cole Stanley, who was first elected in 2021, is widely expected to run for reelection.
Filing officially begins January 18th. Election Day is May 6th.