A Message to Supporters of Chris Younts

I am sending this message to address the delicate topic of being a "spoiler" in the current three-way race.

Here are a couple of little-known facts:

When I returned to Texas in July 2011 after a dozen years of active duty in the Marine Corps, I made it a priority to go visit with Chris at the earliest opportunity.  We met in late July and had a hearty, friendly discussion in which we discovered
that we saw many things in almost exactly the same light.  We spoke for several hours that day at his office in San Angelo.  Since I had already decided, before I ever moved home, that I would be running, I made it clear to him that I had made up my mind to run and I asked him if he was going to run again.  He said he had not decided.  He also said that if he decided not to run, he would throw his support behind me.

I saw Chris again in August at the San Angelo Tea Party meeting.  He still had not decided whether he was running.  I made it known to all in attendance, as I had already been doing with family and friends all around the world, that I was definitely running, and that my decision had been fixed for several months.

I announced my candidacy formally through the Brownwood Bulletin on August 29th, less than 60 days from moving back home to Texas, and less than 30 days from leaving active duty in the Marine Corps.

Chris announced on October 13th, about six weeks after I announced.

So what does this mean?

Well, the way I interpret this situation, it looks like there are three people running who each think they can do a better job than the other two.

This brings to mind an event that occurred at Marine Aircraft Group 41 a few months ago:  I was asked to promote several Marines.  Because I was new to the unit, I didn't know any of the Marines personally, nor had I evaluated any of them.  The Marine Corps chose to promote them because they had satisfied all the requirements, including evaluations by past Staff Non-Commissioned Officers and Commissioned Officers other than myself.  In order to be promoted, they needed a Commissioned Officer to perform the ceremony.   Since I was their new Officer-in-Charge, I was asked to do it.

Being asked to promote Marines is an honor, as any officer will tell you.  I trust the Marine Corps as an organization, yet it would be me, Wade Brown at the head of the formation doing the promoting, and I wanted to do my own evaluation, a "gut check" if you will, of these Marines.  This is what I did:  I walked up to each of the five Marines and said, "Do you deserve this promotion?"  Five Marines, one at a time, answered the question with a solid look in their eye and a firm handshake, each one saying with utmost confidence, "Yes, sir!"  They did not say this out of arrogance; they said it because it was the simple truth.  Had one of them hesitated, I would have questioned their readiness for the next rank and the responsibility that goes with it.

One of the despicable things about politics - and one of the things that I believe keeps many good men and women from running for office - is the pressure to tout your own credentials, literally to self-promote.  I told some folks at the San Angelo Tea Party in August, when asked about a hypothetical third candidate entering the race (since at the time it was only Mike Conaway and me), would I drop out?  I answered honestly:  not unless I thought the third candidate was unquestionably more qualified than me.  Chris Younts is a fully qualified candidate.  Furthermore, I like him personally and know that he would stick to his guns on Capitol Hill.  That makes him in my opinion a superior candidate to Mike Conaway.  But if someone were to ask me if I was more qualified than Chris, I would answer as my Marines answered me.  Without arrogance, based on my life experience and with utmost confidence:  Yes, I believe I am.

This is an election for a U.S. Representative whose actions will literally have an impact on the governance of the most powerful nation in the world.  I firmly believe there are many people in the 11th District who are much more qualified than I, but unfortunately - and I mean that - they're not running.  I wish one of them would stand up and run because they'd get my vote.  But until and unless they do, I will remain in the race.  Like war, this is not a game.  Things of real consequence are in the balance, and each of us must make the most sound decisions we possibly can.  In that light, I ask each of you to make an objective evaluation and vote your conscience.  If you feel like you need to know me better, I would be happy to meet with you.  Just go to the Contact Us page and send me a message.

With appropriate and due respect to Chris and Mike and their families, and to each of you,

Godspeed,

Wade