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Andrew Clyde, left. Devin Pandy, right.
Name: Andrew Clyde
Occupation: CEO and Owner of Clyde Armory
Family: My wife Jennifer and I live in Jackson County with our Doberman, Kit. Jennifer is a very talented violinist and plays professionally and in our church orchestra. I sing in the choir and have served as a deacon. I am a 28-year Navy veteran and owner of Clyde Armory, a law enforcement and retail firearms business.
Why are you running for office? In 2013, the IRS wrongfully confiscated $940,313 from my firearms business. They had been doing this to small business owners across the country through an unconstitutional process known as civil asset forfeiture. I took on the corrupt IRS in court and won. I then went to Washington to work with Congress to pass legislation eliminating the ability of the IRS to seize legally earned money ever again. On July 1, 2019 President Trump signed into law the Clyde-Hirsh-Sowers RESPECT Act.
There is a very thin line between 'We the People' running our government and our government running us. I believe my military service, business experience, and my track record of fighting and winning against big government make me uniquely qualified to serve as your congressman.
What do you hope to accomplish should you be elected?
- Further work to deregulate the firearms industry by removing suppressors, short barreled rifles and short barreled shotguns from the National Firearms Act of 1934. Additionally, I want to remove the hidden excise tax on firearms, it’s unconstitutional.
- Protect the lives of the unborn, without exceptions.
- Dismantle the IRS and in its place implement a flat tax on consumption.
- Ensure veterans receive the care the government promised them when they took their Oath to protect this country. Liberals are more concerned with providing care to illegal immigrants than those who have dedicated their life to protecting our freedoms.
What is the most pressing issue facing the 9th District right now?
I truly believe that government overreach is at the heart of the issues that our nation and district face.
- Entitlement programs have enticed the American people to be dependent upon the federal government, and this is wrong.
- Bailouts for big corporations don’t pay off, take money from hard working tax-payers, and slow the recovery of the economy.
- The IRS is the epitome of corruption and government overreach.
Now, in a time of crisis, We the People cannot fall victim to big government. This is our country and we must protect our Constitution to preserve all posterity.
Name: Devin Pandy
Occupation: U.S. Army (Retired) 21 years, five deployments (Panama, Kuwait, Iraq twice, Afghanistan), Wounded Warrior. I also took advantage of Georgia’s burgeoning film industry to try my hand at a little acting for fun.
Family: My family immigrated here from Belize when I was an infant. My mother had a visa, and my father and I were undocumented. He earned our citizenship by joining the military, something that was encouraged then. My siblings and I followed suit, and the Army did right by us — even giving my father a funeral with full military honors in Belize at the end of his life. Now, I’m happily engaged to a beautiful woman who is much smarter than I am, and we look forward to buying a small ranch where we can raise some horses and keep bees.
Why are you running for office?
I’m running for office to end veteran homelessness, protect rural healthcare, and advocate for our agricultural sector in Washington. Our immigration system is broken. We need professional, compassionate leaders who understand international security, but who know that our farmers and businesses rely on immigrants to feed America. Republicans and Democrats both have abandoned large segments of this country — in rural America, in our cities — and we look the other way while our heroes sleep on the streets. I don’t want us simply to have a seat at the table, I want to build a table with enough seats for everyone.
What is the biggest challenge facing the District 9 and how would you tackle it should you be elected? The idolization of the executive branch, and particularly the president, has to end. Democrats romanticize the historic nature of President Obama so much that they can’t even admit the possibility that he made mistakes. Republicans love President Trump to the point that our elected officials won’t even acknowledge that, as politicians do, he often says one thing and does another. If we can create a district where we talk as neighbors, we can lead the way on rural healthcare, veteran care and agricultural reform, but we won’t get anything done if the executive branch continues to be beyond criticism.
What qualifies you to hold this office? Earning for yourself, helping others, being courteous, these values drive me. Politics today is so divided that solutions like a federal job guarantee, that lets individuals earn a living while reducing the number of people on welfare, are ignored so that politicians can posture. I don’t have to posture. I bled for our nation in Iraq, Kuwait, Panama and Afghanistan, coordinated with foreign countries to keep us safe, and I know what it is to be an immigrant — as we all once were. Vote for me because I can represent the entire district while holding true to the values we all share.