Don W. Minton
Republican Candidate for Commissioner of the General Land Office
Minton/Photo by Campaign
Question: What is your age?
Answer: 53
Q: What is your educational background? Please list any degrees or certificates earned and any institutions attended.
A: West Point (BS); UT Law (JD); UTEP (MBA); FINRA (Series 6, 7, 63 and 26)
Q: What is your occupation?
A: Attorney
Q: If you are a business owner, please list the business or businesses that you own. (If this question is not applicable, please note that below.)
A: All American Lithium (Partner)
Q: Please list any civic boards or commissions (non-profit, government, union, political, etc.) on which you have served as a board member or equivalent.
A: El Paso Independent School District Bond Accountability Committee; El Paso Youth Orchestra Board of Directors; Villas at Pointe West (Galveston) Vice-President and Treasurer.
Q: Have you previously held or do you currently hold any elected office? If so, what office(s)?
A: State District Court Judge, El Paso Criminal District Court One
Q: If your campaign has any online campaign resources where voters can learn more about you, such as social media accounts or a website, please list them below.
A: www.minton4glo.com; www.facebook.com/don.minton.7; @Minton4GLO
Q: Why did you decide to run for this office in 2022?
A: I am passionate about each of the six core missions of the General Land Office and have developed an expertise in each of the fields which position me to provide effective leadership in this position of trust. This missions are (1) Veteran's Benefits; (2) Management of the Coast; (3) Transitioning Public Lands into the 21st Century Economy; (4) Natural Disaster Recovery; (5) Free Public Education for all Texans; and (6) Stewardship of the Alamo Historical Battlefield. I am a disabled veteran and have experienced first hand that the benefits available to veterans from the VLB are often no better than a standard VA Loan. I want to change that so that all Texas Veterans have an option better than the VA Loan. I am a resident of Galveston Island and am a sailboat captain. I know first hand the critical importance of managing this resource which must constantly strike a delicate balance between commercial, residential, recreational and sustainability objectives. I have spent the last four years working in the field of lithium extraction and have a keen insight to the transition our economy is undergoing. Texas Public Lands are rich in critical minerals and water - assets that we ought to begin to monetize for the benefit of a Free Public Education for all Texas. My parents lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, and I endured my first hurricane only days after buying my first house in Galveston. I watched as red tape and political squabbling negatively impacted the award of grants, particularly in the greater Houston area. I want to remove politics from the Government Land Office. The Texas Declaration of Independence created the standard that all who live in Texas will receive a free public education. My wife Lourdes Minton has served as both a teacher and a librarian, and I know firsthand the importance of this mission. The General Land Office pays for this by the effective management and stewardship of public lands. Finally, the preservation of the Alamo has been infected with politics. The story of the Alamo, as presented from all sides, needs to be preserved and presented in a non-commercial, somber place on par with the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. and the Gettysburg National Battlefield.
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities in office?
A: (1) Enhance VLB benefits to Texas Veterans; (2) Streamline disaster recovery and coastal management through effective navigation of federal programs and apolitical interaction with local officials; (3) Transition Texas Public Lands to monetize 21st century natural resources.
Q: What is an issue you believe has gone overlooked in your race and how will you address it if elected?
A: Keeping focus on the core missions of the General Land Office. Real opportunities exist to make the GLO help propel Texas even further into the best state in the nation. The covid pandemic, immigration, socialist spending and abortion are all extremely important national issues. However, for this race, we should be talking instead about Texas Veterans, Coastal Management, the Alamo, Texas Free Public Education, Disaster Recovery, and transforming Texas Public Lands into the 21st century economy.
Q: Why are you the best candidate for voters to support for this position?
A: I have the experience, passion and expertise to deliver in each of the six core missions of the General Land Office. I am neither a career politician, nor someone interested in an office beyond Commissioner of General Land Office. I am focused on and motivated to complete the tasks at hand and have a track record of delivering success in every endeavor I have undertaken.