Early voting for the Texas primary runoff election begins Monday, May 18, ahead of Election Day on May 26. In Potter County Precinct 1, Republican voters will choose between two candidates seeking to replace longtime Justice of the Peace Judge Debbie Horn: Amanda Mayfield and Bryan Tackett.
Though both candidates emphasize fairness, compassion, and public service, they present distinctly different qualifications and philosophies for the role. One centers her campaign on decades of judicial legal experience and courtroom administration. The other focuses on pastoral leadership, crisis counseling, and community engagement.
Amanda Mayfield: A Campaign Built on Judicial Experience
Amanda Mayfield presents herself as the most legally experienced candidate in the race, emphasizing nearly three decades of judicial and appellate legal work.
Mayfield says she spent 27 years working as a judicial attorney, including time as a briefing attorney for both federal and state appellate courts. Her background includes criminal law, constitutional habeas corpus review, death penalty appeals, Social Security disability cases, and civil litigation. She argues that this level of courtroom and appellate experience uniquely prepares her to transition into the Justice of the Peace role without disrupting court operations after Judge Horn’s retirement.
A recurring theme throughout Mayfield’s campaign is continuity. She repeatedly references Judge Debbie Horn’s 19-year tenure and frames herself as the candidate best prepared to preserve the court’s existing structure, accessibility, and efficiency.
Her campaign messaging focuses on three primary areas: legal expertise, docket management, and continuity of service.
Mayfield argues that her legal background would allow her to interpret and apply the law consistently while minimizing errors that could lead to appeals or delays. She points to her appellate record, noting that none of the opinions she authored during her judicial career were overturned on appeal.
In addition to courtroom experience, Mayfield also highlights her administrative and business background. Over the last five years, she says she has handled debt claims in JP courts while also serving as CFO of a small construction company, managing rental properties, and overseeing property development projects. She also cites experience as an Election Judge and Potter County Condemnation Commissioner.
Her proposals for the office focus heavily on court administration and accessibility. She says she wants to modernize forms and instructions available to the public, improve online accessibility, and expand e-filing options for litigants. She also hopes to create greater consistency among Justice of the Peace courts so residents better understand court procedures and expectations.
Throughout her campaign materials, Mayfield stresses impartiality and restraint in judicial office. She explicitly states that public policy should not influence judicial decisions and says judges should leave personal biases “at the doorstep to the courtroom.”
Instead, she describes her philosophy as one rooted in fairness, compassion, and legally grounded decision-making. She says she wants litigants — especially self-represented individuals appearing in what is often called “the People’s Court” — to feel respected and heard.
Mayfield also emphasizes practical problem-solving within the legal system. She says she supports resolving disputes efficiently and, when possible, reducing the need for additional court intervention. While she does not position herself as an activist reform candidate, she does advocate for remedies tailored to the specific facts and individuals involved in each case.
Her campaign overall reflects a traditional judicial approach focused on legal procedure, administrative competence, and continuity with the current court’s operations.
For voters prioritizing courtroom experience and procedural expertise, Mayfield’s campaign clearly centers on those credentials.
Bryan Tackett: A Campaign Focused on Compassion and Community Engagement
Bryan Tackett approaches the race from a different perspective, emphasizing pastoral leadership, mentorship, and community service over formal legal training.
Tackett’s campaign is rooted in personal experience and public-facing service. He holds a bachelor’s degree in theology and spent 24 years operating an insurance and financial agency. He says that experience gave him familiarity with contracts, regulations, and dispute resolution.
But much of Tackett’s campaign identity revolves around his work outside business settings. He currently serves as a pastor at Hillcrest Baptist Church, coaches at the Maverick Boys & Girls Club, and previously worked as an ER trauma chaplain for seven years at Northwest Texas Hospital.
His campaign slogan — “Real People. Real Futures.” — reflects a message centered on empathy, second chances, and relationship-building.
Tackett frequently references a formative experience from his youth involving a Justice of the Peace judge who treated him with dignity during a difficult moment. He says that interaction shaped his understanding of accountability and mercy and inspired his decision to run for office.
Unlike Mayfield, whose campaign centers on courtroom management and judicial experience, Tackett focuses heavily on the human side of the position.
His writings on inquests illustrate that approach. Tackett argues that death investigations are not only legal proceedings but also moments requiring compassion and emotional steadiness. Drawing from his chaplain experience, he describes accompanying grieving families through traumatic situations and says the Justice of the Peace should help provide stability and clarity after tragedy.
Similarly, Tackett’s positions on evictions and truancy emphasize communication, prevention, and community support systems.
Regarding evictions, Tackett advocates for early communication between landlords and tenants. He shares his own experience receiving a notice to vacate and says honest dialogue with a landlord helped resolve the situation. He argues that many housing disputes can be addressed before reaching crisis levels if people communicate openly and have access to mediation or financial resources.
On truancy, Tackett frames absenteeism as a symptom of larger social and economic challenges rather than simply a disciplinary issue. He identifies transportation problems, food insecurity, unstable housing, family trauma, and bullying as underlying causes frequently affecting students.
Tackett says the court should serve as a last resort rather than a first response. He supports collaboration between schools, parents, and community organizations to intervene before cases escalate into legal proceedings.
His background as a substitute teacher, mentor, and youth coach plays heavily into this message. Tackett argues that firsthand exposure to struggling families gives him insight into how courts can respond constructively while still upholding the law.
While he repeatedly emphasizes adherence to legal principles and due process, Tackett’s campaign language places greater emphasis on proactive leadership, relationship-building, and restorative approaches to community issues.
The contrast between the two candidates is clear. Mayfield presents herself primarily as an experienced judicial professional prepared to administer the court efficiently and consistently. Tackett offers a more community-centered approach grounded in pastoral care, mentorship, and crisis support.
