The following are the complete and unedited responses submitted by the candidate listed below to the Amarillo Pioneer’s Candidate Questionnaire.
Smith/Photo via Campaign
Name: Andrew Caleb Smith
Office Sought: Randall County Court at Law No. 1
Party Affiliation: Republican
Age: 43
What is your educational background? Please list any degrees or certificates earned and any institutions attended.
J.D./MBA, Texas Tech University
M.Ed., SMU
BA International Relations, BYU
What is your occupation?
Asst. District Attorney, 47th D.A.'s Office
Please list any civic boards or commissions (non-profit, government, union, religious, political, etc.) on which you have served as a board member or equivalent.
I have been a deacon, teacher, priest, elder, and now high priest in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have presided over quorums of deacons, teachers, and elders. I served a full-time, two year church mission in Rostov na Donu, Russia. I have served in callings for several decades where I am part of a ward (congregation) council.
Have you previously held or do you currently hold any elected office? If so, what office(s)?
N/A
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.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583340208050
Why did you decide to run for this office in 2026?
For my entire career as an attorney, I have been a prosecutor seeking justice for the people of Amarillo. When I heard Judge Anderson was not running for re-election, I recognized this as an opportunity to continue to expand my civil service. After discussion with my family and making it a focus of prayer, we decided I can best serve the people of Randall County in this position.
If elected, what will be your top priority?
Maintaining the legacy of service, integrity, fairness, and justice which Judge Anderson has established.
Please describe your legal career experience and discuss any career highlights you would like to share.
I have prosecuted misdemeanor and felony cases from intake through appeal. I was a legal secretary for a civil attorney and a criminal defense attorney prior to going to law school. While in law school, I mediated multiple family law cases.
During your time in law school, what was the most profound lesson you learned that continues to play a role in your career and/or your life?
I learned to listen and consider others' opinions, avoiding contention even if my perspective differs from theirs. I believe we can disagree with others without being disagreeable. As a prosecutor--or if elected judge--I owe a duty to our community, victims, and defendants in the course of seeking justice. Our society has become so polarized, but showing compassion to all is a requisite of obtaining justice.
What fictional lawyer do you most identify with? Please explain.
Perry Mason. His job as a defense attorney included determining the truth and maintaining candor with the court, rather than simply a fight with the prosecution. The one unacceptable outcome in any criminal matter is convicting someone for something they did not do. And in civil cases, learning the truth of what happened is a prerequisite for a just outcome.
Do you have any notable endorsements you would like to highlight for voters? If this question is not applicable, please write N/A.
N/A
Why are you the best candidate for voters to support for this position?
My wife and I are raising our family of eight kids here in Amarillo, and I care about the future of the community they are growing up in. I have lived abroad, learned other languages and experienced cultures very different from my own, and I know the freedoms we enjoy in our great nation and state depend upon our adherence to the rule of law. I try hard not to argue with others, as I know that contention never leads to inspired solutions. I am not easily provoked or angered. I am a lawyer, not a liar. I've worked as a janitor, carpenter, apartment manager, secretary, and homemaker. I love my wife and children. A judge's history should be above reproach, and I hope my public, private, and family life meets that standard. I have been a civil servant for my career as an attorney, and would be honored to continue that service as judge.