The Amarillo Pioneer Podcast with Thomas Warren

Kasey Wells is an artist and independent candidate for President of the United States. Wells is set to be a write-in candidate in Texas this November in the race for President. In today's episode, Wells calls in to discuss his positions on the issues on the minds of Texans, including COVID-19, taxes, and more. Wells also walks us through his journey to campaign directly and personally to voters ac...

Tom Hoefling and Andy Prior are independent candidates for President and Vice President of the United States, respectively. The Hoefling-Prior ticket is seeking nationwide ballot access and will be on the Texas ballot in 2020 as a write-in option to choose presidential and vice presidential electors. In today's podcast, Hoefling and Prior call in to introduce themselves to voters in West Texas. Ho...

Kerry McKennon is the Libertarian Party's 2020 nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas. McKennon is well-known among Libertarian circles for his years of party activism and for his previous campaigns for State Representative and Lieutenant Governor. In today's episode, McKennon calls in to discuss his platform for the 2020 election, his background, and his positions on the issues on the minds of Texans,...

Blaik Kemp is a law enforcement officer who is the Republican nominee for Hutchinson County Sheriff in 2020. After winning his party's nomination for the job earlier this year, Kemp is now moving on to face a write-in candidate in this year's general election. In today's episode, Blaik calls in to discuss his campaign for the position, his new perspective as a young candidate running for sheriff,...

In today's Live in West Texas Round Table segment, we welcome back Amarillo Pioneer columnist Noah Dawson and Republican Party activist Jason Foglesong to discuss Proposition 1 for the November municipal election in Amarillo, which would issue $275 million in debt for renovations to the Amarillo Civic Center Complex and completion of various downtown projects, including the construction of a secon...

In today's episode, we are joined by High Plains Pundit editor and publisher Dan Butcher for a discussion on podcasting, new media, and what's going on in the world of media. Later in the episode, FTR Radio's Mike Gay joins the conversation with Thomas and Dan to discuss his projects and his career in podcasting. We also take a look ahead to the 2020 presidential election and high-profile contests...

Chrysta Castañeda is the Democratic Party's nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner in 2020 to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Ryan Sitton. In today's episode, Castañeda calls in to the podcast to make her pitch to be the next Railroad Commissioner for Texas. We discuss her platform, whether the Railroad Commission should be renamed, how COVID-19 has impacted campaigning across Texas, and mo...

In this special West Texas Extra episode, we speak with an administrator of the ever-controversial Amarillo Satire Facebook page. The Amarillo Satire page, originally called the City of Amarillo page, burst onto the scene several years ago and has since generated headlines for its memes and Facebook posts about City Hall and local politicians, even being discussed in not-so-favorable terms by Mayo...

Gerson Hernandez is the Republican nominee for the Texas House of Representatives in House District 105, challenging incumbent first-term Democrat State Rep. Terry Meza. Hernandez, a Christian conservative Republican, is hoping to flip the seat back to the Republican column after Meza ousted incumbent State Rep. Rodney Anderson in 2018. In today's podcast, Hernandez calls in to discuss his campaig...

Stephen Sanders is a musician and candidate for Lubbock Mayor. Sanders, a self-described pro-life conservative, is challenging incumbent Dan Pope in the city's municipal election. After a career of service in the U.S. Army and in the Lubbock community, he is seeking the office of mayor for the second time after running a write-in campaign for the job in 2018. In today's episode, Sanders calls in t...

In this new Live in West Texas Round Table segment, host Thomas Warren III sits down with Republican Party activist Jason Foglesong and Amarillo Pioneer columnist Noah Dawson to discuss the Amarillo City Council's ballot proposals for the November 2020 general election, including a ballot proposition to increase the term length of city councilmembers and a $275 million bond for the Amarillo Civic...

Brad Torch is a mental healthcare professional and former candidate for Amarillo City Council, Place 3. Originally from the Albuquerque, New Mexico-area, Brad sought election to the Amarillo City Council in 2019, challenging incumbent Eddy Sauer. Now a recent resident of Colorado, Brad calls in to the podcast to discuss his campaign for Amarillo City Council, issues he believes candidates need to...

Martin Holsome is a Republican candidate for Governor of Texas in the upcoming 2022 election cycle. A member of the Rusk City Council, Holsome is challenging Gov. Greg Abbott in 2022, alongside comedian Chad Prather. In today's episode, Holsome discusses why he chose to launch his campaign so early in the cycle, his position on reimagining the historic Alamo site, what Texas' role should be in sec...

Neal Dikeman was the Libertarian Party's nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas in 2018 and is the editor-in-chief and publisher of the Texas Free Press publication and CEO of real estate private equity fund manager Old Growth Ventures. In today's episode of the podcast, Neal calls in to discuss his campaign for the U.S. Senate in 2018, the direction of the Libertarian Party for 2020, the Libertarian Pa...

In this special episode, we welcome Dr. Ronny Jackson back to the podcast after Jackson won the July 14 Republican primary runoff in Texas' 13th Congressional District to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon). Today, we speak with Dr. Jackson about his phone conversation with President Trump on election night, his approach to the general election, his plans to help Republicans in...

Cameron Venable is a meteorologist at KFDA-TV Newschannel10 in Amarillo. A native of California, Cameron is best known for his evening broadcasts on KFDA and for his adventures as a storm chaser across the Texas Panhandle. In today's episode, Cameron calls in to the podcast to talk about his career in meteorology, his journey from Southern California to Amarillo, the dangers of storm chasing, tips...

Greg Sagan is one of two Democrats in the July 14 runoff election in Texas' 13th Congressional District, hoping to replace the retiring U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon). A U.S. Navy veteran and former Amarillo Globe-News columnist, Sagan was the Democratic Party's nominee against Thornberry in 2018, taking home 17% of the vote. In today's episode, Sagan discusses what made him decide to run...

Steven Denny is an Amarillo-based criminal defense attorney and volunteer firefighter seeking the Republican nomination for the 7th Court of Appeals, Place 4 seat against incumbent appointee Justice Larry Doss in the July 14 Republican primary runoff election. A graduate of West Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University, Denny was the top vote-getter in the original March 3 primary for the se...

Jason Foglesong is an Amarillo school teacher, activist, Potter County Republican precinct chair, and former Republican candidate for Texas' Congressional District 13. Jason is now supporting Ronny Jackson in the July 14 runoff election for the seat. In today's episode, Jason calls in to discuss his campaign, why he is supporting Jackson, his activism in the Republican Party, and more. For news fo...

Gus Trujillo is one of two Democrats running in the July 14 congressional runoff in Texas' 13th Congressional District to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon). An office manager and former congressional intern, Trujillo is facing Greg Sagan in the runoff election. In today's episode, Trujillo calls in to discuss his experience as an intern in Thornberry's office and how he belie...

Raul Reyes is a U.S. Air Force veteran and Republican candidate for Texas' U.S. House District 23. Reyes is facing Tony Gonzales in the July 14 Republican runoff for the shot to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (R-Helotes) in November. In today's episode, Reyes calls in to discuss his campaign, the challenges of running for office in a large congressional district, how he is taking on both Gon...

Tracy Marshall is executive director of Transparency USA, a non-profit organization which aims to provide to clear, accurate, and easy-to-understand information about the money in state politics, with a focus on Texas and eight other states. In today's episode, Tracy talks to us about the new programs at Transparency USA, plus provides an overview on the money in Texas politics, how COVID-19 is im...

Dr. Ronny Jackson is one of two Republicans currently in the July 14 runoff election to replace U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry in Texas' 13th Congressional District. Prior to his entry into electoral politics, Jackson served as a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy and served as Physician to the President under Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Jackson was also President Trump's nomine...

Railroad conductor and U.S. Army veteran Vance Snider, II was the fifth highest-placing candidate in the March 3 Republican primary to replace U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry in Texas' 13th Congressional District. Vance calls into the Amarillo Pioneer studio to discuss his campaign, the ups and downs of running for office, the controversies of the race, the July 14 runoff between Dr. Ronny Jackson and Jo...

KippyCats and Amarillo Brown Bag Runs founder Kip Billups stops by to talk about his life in community service, his 2019 mayoral bid, his arrest for clapping during a meeting of the Amarillo City Council in 2018, and more.