Ted Brown, a Libertarian from Austin, is running for U.S. Senate in Texas in the Nov. 3 general election. Brown, a retired insurance adjuster, has been active in the Libertarian Party since 1979.
Brown said in a questionnaire response to Surround Sound News: "I'm running because other candidates don't reflect my viewpoint, which is to believe in personal freedom, economic freedom, digital privacy, the rule of law, limited government, and a peaceful anti-war foreign policy."
Candidate information
- Party: Libertarian
- Birth year: 1960
- Hometown: Wells Branch neighborhood of Austin, Texas
- Birthplace: Steubenville, Ohio
- Education: Bachelor's in political science from UCLA with a concentration in constitutional law (1984)
- Career: Retired after 40 years as a self-employed independent insurance claims adjuster and investigator, specializing in auto, property and general liability claims
- Family: Married to Laura since 1984. Laura is a retired teacher who taught at Austin Community College. They have one adult daughter, Katie, who is a fundraiser for a major university hospital.
- Previous runs: Brown has run for office previously but has not been elected. He received more than 267,000 votes in the 2024 Texas U.S. Senate race, a record for a Libertarian candidate in Texas, Houston Public Media reported.
Experience and public service
Brown has held several leadership positions within the Libertarian Party at the local, state and national levels, according to his Libertarian Party profile:
- Chairman, Libertarian Party of California
- Member, Libertarian National Committee
- Member, Texas State Libertarian Executive Committee
- Vice Chair, Libertarian Party of Travis County
- Candidate Coordinator, Libertarian Party of Texas
On the issues
Brown outlined these positions in his questionnaire responses and campaign materials.
Executive power and constitutional governance
Brown said his top Senate priority would be reining in presidential power. He said Congress needs to reclaim its legislative powers, citing what he called executive overreach through foreign military intervention, executive orders, emergency declarations and rule by decree. Brown said he would read the Constitution before voting on any bill and would never vote for legislation he considers unconstitutional.
Federal spending and the economy
Brown said he supports cutting federal spending across the board in every department, agency and program. He pointed to the $2 trillion annual deficit and $40 trillion national debt as unsustainable. He said the deficit drives the Federal Reserve to print more money, which causes inflation. Brown also said he would repeal tariffs he said have raised costs by about $1,100 per family per year. He supports repealing the federal income tax.
Immigration
Brown said he favors an Ellis Island-style immigration entry system. Under his proposal, immigrants would come to a proper port of entry, identify themselves, undergo screening, and if they are not criminals or terrorists, be allowed in to start working immediately. He said legal immigration is almost impossible now.
Foreign policy and the Iran conflict
Brown called the Iran conflict a war of choice and said he would end it by declaring victory, ending all hostilities, closing all U.S. military bases in the Middle East and withdrawing all troops. He said Congress holds the constitutional power to start wars, not the president, and should cut off all funding. Brown supports bringing all troops home.
Digital privacy
Brown said he opposes government-mandated age verification for social media, digital ID requirements, government social credit systems, internet censorship, limitations on VPN use and CCTV surveillance cameras in public places. He said he strongly defends Fourth Amendment protections from unreasonable search and seizure.
Texas' general election is Nov. 3.
